Transitions
by FLUFF-N-UTTER-1
Summary: A scene in between... snippets contains whole team. Welcome to Claudia's changing world (AU). Primary focus season 1 is Cutter, Stephen, Abby, Connor, Claudia, Ryan and Lester. Season 2 focus adds Leek and others. References to character death chapter 14. Season 3 will introduce Becker, Sarah, Danny, Christine Johnson... and Jack. (1.1-3.10) A/N there is no Jenny in this storyline.
1. A One Off?

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

1.1-2 Transitions

… _said Lester "we're just moving on to a different chapter of our lives now."_

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Nicholas Cutter rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Helen?

He remembered their row eight years ago. He should have gone with her to the Forest of Dean that day, but there had been a break in at his research lab. Helen had left in a huff, gone off on her own. And then she was gone… missing… her body was never found.

The detective investigating Helen's disappearance had been rather suspicious. The man had told Cutter that when a woman went missing it was most often foul play… most often done by the husband or boyfriend. But Nick had an airtight alibi for the inquiry. Nick had spent the morning filling out reports for a constable and then he and Stephen spent the afternoon cleaning up the lab.

Now, after eight years of wondering what had happened to his wife, she was back. He'd never had her declared dead in all that time… so he guessed that meant they were still married.

Bloody hell.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Stephen tilted his head back and drained the last of his black and tan. Setting the heavy glass down on the polished wood of the bar with a thump, he wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. The bartender looked at him a little askance, but Stephen decided he'd had enough. He shoved back his chair and stood up. Weaving his way across the pub towards the door, he wondered what the folks in here would do if they had to face down a gorgonopsid.

His cell phone vibrated. Stephen reached into his pocket and brought the device up in front of him where he could read the text message. He blinked to focus his eyes.

The message was from Alison: Back in London two weeks. We need to talk.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby couldn't believe her luck.

That talkative young man had been chattering so much, no one had heard the occasional chirps coming from her bundle. She had gotten her bundle safely tucked into the mini without anyone stopping her or asking questions. Abby had a bad moment when he had asked her for a ride back, but thankfully Claudia had called him over then. Apparently she needed Connor to sign some papers for the home office.

Abby opened the door to her flat. Stepping inside she kicked the door shut quickly. The bundle chirped as she started to unwrap it. The coelurosauravus soared out of her grasp, circling the room before lighting on the sofa.

Abby tilted her head sideways to gaze at the creature. Rex mirrored her movement, gazing back at her.

"Hmm," said Abby thoughtfully as she crossed the floor to the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and rummaged around a moment, then turned back to face the creature. Holding out her hand palm up in front of her she asked "Do you like mango?"

Rex couldn't believe his luck.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor quickly reached for another slice of pepperoni pizza and took a big bite. Chewing slowly he rolled his eyes at Duncan, hoping that his friend would accept that as an answer to his question.

Really, Connor couldn't begin to tell Duncan what he had done all day. Could he?

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Claudia pushed the send button on her email. The report was complete, attached to the email and sent.

She pushed her chair back and stood up. Grabbing her purse and coat she headed for the door. Looking at her watch, Claudia thought she had just enough time to catch the tube and pick up some take away before her favorite shop closed for the night.

As she headed for the tube station, Claudia thought about the report she had just sent, the events she had witnessed. An anomaly to the past… creatures from another time… Professor Nicholas Cutter…

Shame it all ended really, she would probably never see him again.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Tom Ryan sat down in the overstuffed green chair in the living room and started to unlace his big black boots. He set the first one down quietly, but the second one slipped out of his hand and landed on the floor with a thump.

From the kitchen, a woman poked her head through the door and looked at him, obviously surprised.

"I didn't hear you come in," she exclaimed coming towards him.

Tom stood up to hug her tight. He kissed her upturned face and then put a hand on her abdomen, caressing it gently.

"How are you both?" he asked softly.

"We're fine," she said swatting his hand playfully. "That tickles. How was work?"

"Oh, the usual," Tom said "boring really."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester parked the porsche in front of his home. It was late. Traffic leaving London had been worse than usual this evening. He quietly made his way up the front steps, inserted the key and let himself in. Light was shining on the floor from the open doorway.

Slipping his shoes off onto the rug in the entryway Lester crossed the hall to peer in the library. He smiled at the sight that greeted him. His wife was curled up in a tight little ball on the brown leather club chair. One bare foot with dark red polish on her toenails peeked out beneath his dressing gown, stretched across the footstool. She had tried to wait up for him.

He gently shook her shoulder.

"Mmmph," she mumbled, stretching out her long slender arms. Her eyes focused on his face, blinked, then blinked again.

"James," she whispered happily, a smile spreading across her face, "you're home."

"Vivian," replied Lester "it's started."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	2. Another Anomaly

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

1.2-2 Another Anomaly

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Stephen felt like he'd gargled with sand and slept inside a tumble dryer, but at least he was alive… and he'd be getting out of the hospital on Tuesday… and Alison was going to be back. He leaned back in the hospital bed and crossed his hands behind his head. Stephen grinned and gave a low growl of anticipation. It had been a while and he was sure they would need a proper welcome home.

Remembering her text, Stephen wondered… what was it Alison wanted to talk about?

And what was it that he had said to Abby in the ambulance?

Oh well… couldn't have been important… not really.

Stephen picked up the remote control.

Wonder what's on telly?

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby shook her head and swallowed the last bite of fudge ripple ice cream.

"Really though," she exclaimed "first bloke I take a fancy to in ages… and he doesn't even remember asking me out!"

"Men!" huffed Edie as she scraped the last of her chocolate, cherry fantasy from the dish.

"Can't live with them," they chorused, laughing together "and can't live without 'em."

Abby and Edie had left the diner, walking towards home. Parting at the corner, they promised to see each other at yoga Wednesday. Abby was still thinking about Stephen as she let herself in the door to the flat. Maybe he was gay like Connor thought she mused… but she hadn't picked up any signals.

Connor had been considerate at the hospital she remembered, asking Abby about her feelings for Stephen. Abby thought Connor might have had a bit of a crush on her, but if he did, Connor kept it to himself. Connor had tried to make her feel better with his talk of when it feels real. Abby chuckled at the thought of Connor liking Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but she didn't think she would tell him about her thing for Spike.

Rex chirped a greeting. Abby smiled, then stretched out her arms to catch him as he launched himself at her.

"How's my fella?" Abby whispered to Rex.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor couldn't believe his luck. Claustrophobia and vertigo all in one day was nothing compared to being off the team in the morning and back on again before nightfall.

And Cutter had said Connor had done a good job.

The anomalies through time were the most exciting, and the most dangerous, thing he had ever seen in his life. Connor stepped up to the flat door, reaching into his messenger bag for the key to the flat. Voices behind him were calling his name. He turned to see his landlord, Navneet, and his wife. They were there telling him he should look for another flat.

The door swung open. Connor looked at the damage. He sighed. Maybe the anomalies weren't the most dangerous thing he'd ever seen.

"I'll start looking for another flat tomorrow," Connor told the concerned couple.

As Connor started cleaning up the mess, he thought about his options. Duncan and Tom would let him kip on the couch at their place, but she knew where they lived. Stephen was in the hospital, so he couldn't really ask the man if he could spare a spot on the couch. And the Professor… no, wouldn't do to ask him… the man was his advisor after all. Abby… Connor stopped sweeping for a moment, daydreaming. The petite blonde was brilliant… he knew she had the space… maybe, if he was really lucky… and asked very nicely…

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Claudia had thought she would be well along in a cover up story by the end of this week, but the anomaly hadn't been a one off.

There had been another. And it showed no sign of closing.

She completed the last of her report, attached the document to the email and pressed the send button. Claudia leaned back in her chair for a moment, stretching her long legs out. She reached one hand behind her head and undid the clip holding her hair back. Claudia shook the long waves free and smiled.

On the plus side, she got to see Professor Nicholas Cutter again.

But on the minus side… Stephen had been babbling about Helen Cutter.

Was the woman dead or not?

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Tom Ryan came around the back yard to enter the flat. The door opened in to what had once been a pantry area, but was now a laundry room. The washer stood in the corner, was one of the main reasons he and his wife had chosen this flat. Tom stripped off his filthy clothes, shoved them in the washer, added detergent, looked at his clothes dubiously and then poured a bit more detergent. Satisfied, he turned the knob to the machine's longest setting. Taking a towel from the neatly folded stack on the counter, he wrapped it around his waist and peeked into the kitchen.

No sign of his wife. Tom strode towards the bathroom.

The hot water was running cold by the time Tom finished scrubbing his body and washing his hair. He dried off, wrapped a bathrobe around him and headed towards the bedroom for a change of clothes. As he crossed the living room, the front door opened and his wife stepped into the flat.

"Tom," she greeted him, walking closer. Then she stopped. Her hand flew to cover her mouth. "What's that smell?" she asked as she ran past him towards the bathroom.

"Turpentine," sighed Tom "we used it to keep the bugs away."

She was very sensitive to odors in her condition.

Maybe another shower would do the trick.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester surveyed the work area in the home office. A cluster of desks piled high with files and trays, a table and some chairs. His mouth pinched in a tight little frown. Really, this wasn't going to do.

"Lynette," he said "put me through to the minister."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Professor Nick Cutter stared at the open anomaly in front of him, wondering where his wife was, wondering what she wanted.

Whatever Helen wanted, Nick was sure it wasn't going to be good.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	3. Moving Target

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

1.3-2 Moving Target

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby put the kettle on as soon as she got home. As she waited for the water to boil, Abby looked through the cabinet finally selecting a nice rooibos. She stared off in space, remembering the events of the day, as it steeped.

Not every day you almost get eaten by a dinosaur. And the Professor's wife was back… she'd been travelling through the anomalies… how weird was that?

Abby removed the tea leaves from her cup and stirred a little milk in to it before heading towards the couch.

Stephen had finally remembered their conversation in the ambulance, just when Abby was glad he hadn't remembered. He already had a girlfriend!

And really, what was up with Connor? The younger man had noticed her perfume, told her she looked really nice and seemed to want to impress her. When Abby had teased Connor, saying Stephen looked better in a wetsuit, Connor had been quick enough to disagree. Abby thought the young man had a bit of crush on her, but moments later he was defending Stephen… reminding her "poison might have affected his judgment just a little bit." Did Connor like her or not, Abby wondered. But more importantly, Abby wondered... did she like him?

Rex chirped as she settled in on the couch.

"Well come on you," coaxed Abby. Rex settled into her lap as Abby took a sip of tea.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor had been trying to work up the nerve to ask Abby to let him share her flat for a week now, and he still hadn't done it. But he had saved her from a mosasaur today. And, he had got a chance to hug her.

He gave a happy little sigh at the memory as he put the key in the lock, turned it and pushed the door open.

The overhead light came on. Connor raised his left arm to shield his eyes from the blinding, bright white light. Something hit his elbow then, shooting pain all the way down his arm. From the sound it made as the something hit the floor and shattered, Connor guessed it was the casserole dish his mum had left after her visit. He stumbled backwards out the door. The brunette followed him through the door and onto the street, her eyes wild, her face a twisted mask of hatred.

This wasn't the woman Connor had once thought he loved. What was it the constable had said last week? Something about bipolar, and not taking her meds, and abusive relationships… men can be abused just as women… but they don't always report it. The officer had given him a handout… a list of behaviors… to watch for. Later, looking at that list, Connor thought it pretty well described her. Glass shattered beside his foot, probably the lid to the casserole dish.

Connor scrambled to his feet and ran. Some people were more dangerous than dinosaurs.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Claudia was filling out innumerable reports. One of their men had died today.

Far from being the one off, she had first thought, these anomalies seemed to keep coming. The second one was still open in the tubes. The expense reports for guarding that area were going to need to be finished next Claudia thought. And the anomaly today… it had moved. For a government report… did that make it one anomaly or three?

On the plus side, they had only lost one man today. Claudia remembered, her attempt at resuscitation had been successful. Professor Nicholas Cutter was still spouting his theories, trying to tell Lester what to do, and thankfully… the scientist was still breathing.

On the minus side… they had gained a woman. Helen Cutter. Who would have thought?

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Tom Ryan came home late. He sat down on the sofa in his stiff dress uniform and began to untie his shiny black shoes. His wife came and sat down beside him.

Taking his hands from his shoes, she then reached one hand to turn his head to face her.

"Tom," she asked "who was it?"

He began to tell her about the friend they had lost today… a diving accident was all he could tell Bryan's widow… all he could really tell his own wife.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester was on the phone to the minister… demanding support… trying to explain the needs of a department that didn't officially exist.

"We'll need a dedicated space," he explained "something with detention areas for people, as well as for the rather… exotic creatures… we might encounter."

The voice on the phone was not as cooperative as one might hope when the fate of the world rested on your decisions.

"At the very least," Lester shouted "we need a place with real walls… not all those bloody windows in the home office building!"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Professor Nick Cutter remembered the feel of Claudia Brown's lips on his. That was twice now, right?

Well, to be fair, the first time she had kissed him had been to scare off some objectionable sod at a bar… and today… it wasn't really a kiss, but mouth to mouth resuscitation. Still, Nick wouldn't mind getting to know the woman with those lips better.

Pity Helen had come back now. She always had the most inconvenient timing.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Stephen was sitting at the table in the restaurant, tapping his foot. Alison was late. The bright lights and strident pulse of canned music didn't make this restaurant a particularly romantic setting he thought. When Alison had asked to meet here, instead of at her companies flat, Stephen had been a bit surprised… but maybe the company she worked for had rules about guests sharing their accommodations.

He had stopped at a couple of shops on the way back to his place after work. Picked up a bottle of wine, some cheese and crackers, didn't need anything from the chemists... had plenty of those supplies at home. After he showered and changed clothes, he changed the linens. And he had made it to this restaurant on time. Where was Alison?

A familiar lilting laugh sounded. Stephen turned his head to look at the entryway. He smiled and started to rise to his feet. Alison was coming in the restaurant. She was followed by Grace, Elspeth and Robert. Oh no. This couldn't be good.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	4. Fight the Darkness

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

1.4-2 Fight the Darkness

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor's eyes kept tearing up. He surreptitiously used the corner of his sleeve to wipe them again. The team, all except for Captain Ryan, had returned to the Home Office to be debriefed. Lester was in a state. When Connor had asked Lester to repeat his question for the third time, the man had sighed and told Connor, Stephen and Abby to go. Lester would finish with Cutter, while Claudia had some more questions for Duncan.

In the hallway, Stephen offered to drive Connor and Abby back to the flat. He had been their ride after all. Connor just nodded. It wasn't until Abby took his hand and gave him a little pull that Connor realized he had to move. He followed Abby to the car park and got in the back seat of Stephen's clunky blue sedan. When the car stopped in front of Abby's flat, Connor didn't move until Abby called his name. He trudged up the stairs after Abby and sat on the couch when she pointed at it.

"Connor," Abby called his name again.

He blinked and looked up at her. She was holding a cup of hot tea out towards him, her head tilted sideways and her eyes narrowed as if she were examining him.

Connor accepted the steaming cup. When she turned to go, he remembered what he wanted to tell her.

"Abby," said Connor "I'm sorry."

The petite blonde turned back to face him with a puzzled expression on her face.

"What for?"

"Uh… for Tom… my friend I mean… not Captain Ryan," stammered Connor "Stephen said it was our fault… Duncan and I… but my fault really… that Tom took you… said we turned you into bait."

"Hmmph!" exclaimed Abby in annoyance. "Stephen's a prat to say that. None of what happened today was your fault Connor! None of it!" She turned abruptly and stalked back to the kitchen.

Abby came back a minute later carrying her own tea. She sat down on the couch right next to Connor.

"Connor," she said "take a sip."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Claudia had Duncan sign all the appropriate forms, reminding the young man he couldn't tell anyone about the dodo's. He was too frightened, and Claudia doubted anyone would ever believe him if he did say anything.

She called the university hospital. The operation on the young MRI technician appeared to have been a success. The man was alive, nothing unusual showed on the latest scan of his arm. With proper therapy he might even regain the use of the arm. One of the Home Office security team was on his way to retrieve the parasitic sample tissue the surgical team had removed. The Ministry of Science and Technology needed it for some unknown study purposes… strictly need to know…

Cutter had said Helen wouldn't have deliberately exposed them to the dodo's parasite, but Claudia wasn't quite so sure. The professor had described his wife as "selfish but not evil." Claudia wondered how well Cutter knew his wife now… the woman had been gone a long time. It had been eight years for Nick Cutter but, who knows how long it had been for Helen.

Claudia looked at the phone number that Connor had given her earlier. She wouldn't need to tell the young man's parents in person. Lester had said he would take that responsibility.

She sighed, thinking, and then Claudia checked her voice mail. She smiled. The reports would just have to wait. She was going to Saint Andrew's hospital.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Tom Ryan made it to Saint Andrew's hospital in time. Hendriks made sure of it.

The call had come while they were packing up their gear from the incident at the stadium. Hendriks could tell that something was up by the expression on Captain Ryan's face.

"I'll drive you sir," said Hendriks with a chuckle.

Twenty minutes after Hendriks got Tom Ryan to the hospital, the Captain was holding his brand new daughter, seven pounds, two ounces and a head full of hair. The Captain was grinning from ear to ear.

An hour later, the Captain's pretty wife was settled in her room. The two were totally engrossed in counting the infant's fingers and toes when the hospital door opened. Claudia Brown poked her head through.

"Just wanted to say congratulations," Claudia said with a smile. Holding up a gift bag adorned with multi-colored ribbons, she asked "Boy or girl?"

"Girl," replied Mrs. Ryan "we're going to name her after me mum… Cecelia Anne."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester drove past the exit that would take him home, continuing north.

He reached the outskirts of Blackburn by eight. Even with satnav, it took him another half hour to find Tom's parents address. He strode up the short walkway and knocked on the door. He introduced himself to the smiling red haired woman that answered the door.

"James Lester," he said "from the ministry… it's about your son."

When the younger son ushered Lester out the door a short while later, Lester repeated the only words of any possible consolation he had.

"Tom was a hero," Lester told the boy.

The boy looked up at him through eyes half filled with tears.

"He always was," Tom's little brother replied before shutting the door firmly behind Lester.

It was after two when Lester made it home. He tried to be quiet, taking off his shoes and tiptoeing up the stairs. He set his briefcase down, and hung his suit before slipping into bed.

Vivian was awake. She wrapped her arms around him, trying to console him as he told her about the events of the day.

"They never ask," said Lester at the end of his story "they never ask which ministry."

"That's not important," replied Vivian. She sat up straight in the bed and reached over to turn on the bedside lamp.

Looking at Lester, she asked "James, who let Helen have her backpack and the knife?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Nick Cutter looked at the computer image again. What had Connor called it… a spaghetti junction of anomalies… and Helen… she was out there, somewhere.

Amazing.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Stephen had a hard time sleeping that night. Dreams, nightmares really kept waking him up. Alison, Grace, Elspeth, Robert, Helen... they all kept pointing at him... shouting at him... demanding really...

The third time he woke, Stephen got out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash his sweaty face. Looking in the mirror, he told himself he had made mistakes. Forgive yourself, and don't make the same mistakes again he told his reflection sternly. Then he went back to the bedroom, stripped the sweat soaked linens and put fresh percale sheets on the bed. Stretching out on the cool, crisp sheets, Stephen was soon fast asleep.

The next dreams Stephen had were of that morning at Abby's flat. Abby running around half dressed. Then Connor… he was half dressed too. In his dreams, Stephen couldn't decide which of the pair had the better legs.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby repeatedly had to remind Connor to take sips of his tea. When he had finally finished the drink, she had taken the cup from him, setting it on the low table in front of them. He just seemed totally out of it, Abby thought, not at all like his normal self. She shivered.

Connor noticed, and turned to look at her. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Abby looked at him. His eyes were red and miserable.

"Been a long day," she answered lightly "first time I've ever been kidnapped."

Abby could have kicked herself at his stricken look. She could just tell he was going to start thinking it was his entire fault again.

"That wasn't Tom," said Connor in a quiet voice "not really… he wasn't like that…" Connor swallowed.

"Why don't you tell me about your friend," Abby suggested gently.

Sometime later Rex landed on Abby's lap waking her up. She and Connor had both drifted off to sleep on the couch. Abby had been leaning against his side. Rex chirped as Abby lifted the coelurosauravus and stood up. Connor rolled slightly at her movement, drawing his legs closer to his body, but he didn't wake.

Abby looked at the sleeping form of Connor on her couch. She hadn't really wanted a flatmate, but here he was. Abby set Rex down on the arm of the couch and walked over to the reptile cage. Taking the soft red blanket off the cage, she covered Connor with it.

Rex jumped lightly onto the couch next to Connor. The creature turned quickly to chirp at Abby as he settled himself on the sleeping man.

"All right you," chuckled Abby as she went to her room. It seemed Connor had Rex's approval.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	5. Ch Ch Changes

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

1.5-2 Ch... Ch... Changes

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Claudia's vision had cleared up, but her head was spinning. Not because of the concussion, but because the events of earlier this Saturday.

Helen had saved her life. Although Claudia's eyesight was still blurry then, she thought the woman was dressed in the same clothes she had been wearing when she jumped through the freezer anomaly at the stadium. Claudia wondered if the time traveler had really meant to save her. The woman had disappeared fast enough. Had she left her husband again?

And Nick… he had kissed Claudia today… a real kiss, not a pretend kiss or mouth to mouth resuscitation.

Claudia couldn't pretend anymore. She more than liked Nick Cutter… but he wasn't single.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Tom Ryan, his wife and daughter were at the park on Sunday afternoon. His wife was pushing the pram as they strolled beside the lake. The month old baby was sleeping.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," he said quietly "but work… we needed to protect…"

"Can we not talk about work?" she asked sharply. "This is our time… remember?"

Tom stopped walking and clutched the handle of the pram, stopping it as well. She looked up at him, her chin quivering a little.

"Our time," whispered Tom as he leaned closer to his wife "it's the reason I do the type of work I do… to protect our time." Their lips met, and for a moment, that was all the time in the world.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester looked at the snide little man walking beside him this Monday morning.

Really, Lester thought, this facility the minister was proposing for the newly created Anomaly Research Center had better be good. And there had better be a correspondingly large budget to go with the new building. Otherwise, Lester wasn't quite sure if being saddled with an assistant like Oliver Leek was going to be worth the trouble.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Nick Cutter spent the better part of Tuesday cleaning out his office at Central Metropolitan University. Lester had told the team they would soon be getting a dedicated space for their work with the anomalies. So Nick had put in a request for a leave of absence with the university.

He had been away so much the past few months, that Nick thought the university might appreciate the gesture. Day trips to London and the Forest of Dean cut into his time teaching. Longer trips, like when he and Abby had gone to Blackburn a month ago to support Connor at his friend's funeral or the three days in Brighton, couldn't even be accounted for in the school calendar.

Cutter grinned as he pulled the photos out of his wallet. The trip to Brighton had been supposed to find an elusive aquatic creature, but instead the team had spent three days traipsing up and down the beaches. The only things they had found were souvenir shops and photo booths. All of the team had crowded in one booth and gotten their pictures taken. The group picture was pinned on the bulletin board at Claudia's cubicle in the Home Office, but Cutter carried the other pictures with him. Individual members of the team caught in silly poses made him smile, but the group poses were even better. One of his favorites was the one with Connor and Abby on either side of Stephen, the taller man pretending to bang Connor and Abby's heads together. But Cutter's absolute favorite was the one where he and Claudia had stayed for the final round of photos… just the two of them.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Stephen had been knocking about with the younger two team members in their off hours for the past several weeks. Scavenger hunts in the park were a fun way to teach tracking methods. Stephen's lessons on dung analysis provided both Abby and Connor new insights into creature habits and habitat. Connor was updating his creature database almost daily. But it wasn't until Wednesday, that Stephen realized exactly how to describe his relationship with the young pair.

The professor had little time for hands on teaching and training. That responsibility was falling more and more to his lab assistant, Stephen. In the school for anomaly creatures, Stephen was Abby and Connor's teacher.

They had gone to a pub after work. It was meant to be just a quick pint and some laughs together. Stephen had been leaning over Connor's shoulder absorbed in the younger man's latest revision to the eohippus record, when Abby asked him to dance. Out of the corner of his eye, Stephen caught the expression on Connor's face. Stephen still might not have realized anything, but the song that had started to play then was one that he had liked years ago… when Stephen had been a grad student.

All of a sudden, Stephen felt so much older than Abby and Connor.

Both Abby and Connor were young and impressed by their older colleague. Abby might or might not still have a bit of a crush on Stephen, while Connor followed Stephen around like a groupie sometimes, only leaving him when Nick Cutter demanded the young genius's attention. For the first time, Stephen realized exactly how Helen had taken advantage of him.

Stephen pushed back his chair and stood up.

"Not tonight Abby," the tall man said with a smile "but I'm sure Connor would be glad to oblige."

He laid some money down on the counter.

"I've got to get going," he added as he left them chattering about whether or not to dance.

A short while later Stephen knocked on Cutter's door.

"I've got something I need to tell you," Stephen began "it was a long time ago… in the past… but I think you should know…"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby got a text on Thursday from Jack: I'll be in town tomorrow night… let's have dinner together.

She snorted and looked at Rex.

"He means, let's have me buy him dinner," Abby told the coelurosauravus. "It's been over a year..."

There was something else Abby was supposed to do on Friday, but Jack's unexpected text blew it right out of her mind. So she texted her brother back with the name of a good little fish and chip place near the train station. With any luck, she wouldn't have to buy him a train ticket too.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor was thinking as he did the washing up.

He had cooked dinner for Abby and himself. The baked tuna casserole recipe his Mum had given him was one of the few meals he knew how to cook well, but he'd used nearly every pot in the flat. Abby appeared to have forgotten their dinner plans. When she hadn't shown up at the usual time, he had called her. The phone went straight to voice mail. A text message came back later: she was eating out tonight, home later. Sorry.

Since his deal with Abby last Saturday, Connor had been meticulous about the washing up and keeping his boxer's, all his laundry really, picked up. Tomorrow he was making her breakfast. He didn't quite know what to cook for breakfast... couldn't serve leftover tuna casserole for breakfast now.

Connor looked at Rex. Last Saturday, Abby had reminded him that his original one week stay had already been over extended to a month. And he knew, he had messed up. But, when he had told Abby he would move out, she had told him he could stay. For a moment last week, Connor had got his hopes up.

"_I quite like having you around," Abby said._

"_Really," began Connor with the start of a smile._

_But then she had added the words that cut to the quick "As a friend."_

"Who am I kidding," Connor asked Rex. Abby was out on a Friday night, while Connor was at the flat talking to a lizard and doing the washing up.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	6. Something's Changed

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

1.6-2 Something's Changed

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Tom Ryan passed out in the middle of a sentence.

"That first time we came here, that body we found, that was me," the Captain asked "wasn't it? I was looking…"

"No," roared Cutter. The Scot pulled the wounded man over his shoulder and turned towards the open anomaly.

"Back," the professor shouted to the surviving members of the team "everybody back."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester was the first to see the away team returning.

Cutter was carrying Captain Ryan… there was blood, too much blood.

"Medic," shouted Lester. Thank goodness he had listened to his wife's suggestion and had an ambulance standing by the anomaly site.

The Captain's second in command… Hendriks, if Lester remembered correctly, was helping another wounded man through. Stephenson, that was the new cadet's name.

And Claudia Brown, who really wasn't even supposed to have gone through the anomaly, was dragging that wretched woman Helen Cutter back through as well.

Pity.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Nick Cutter watched the ambulance door close and race down the road taking his friend Tom Ryan to the hospital.

He turned to look at the rest of the team. Hendriks was wrapping the new cadet's arm. Nick shook his head ruefully. What a welcome to the team the young man had… a gorgonopsid and a future predator both on his first day.

Beyond them, Nick could see Lester standing with his arms crossed. Waiting, Nick realized, for a report.

"We shouldn't have gone," Nick said "setting up a permanent camp in the Permian… it was a mistake. Nobody goes back."

"Sorry to break your new rule so soon Nick," began Helen "but I can't stay…"

"You don't have to stay Helen," snarled Nick "in fact I'd be glad if you left and stayed the hell away… but first sign these."

Cutter pulled a long narrow envelope and a pen out of his pocket and handed it to the woman. She opened the envelope, pulled out a large sheaf of papers, began flipping through the pages, then she began flipping out.

"Divorce papers," Helen exclaimed "but… I don't want…"

"I don't care what you want," Nick said brusquely, quoting the legal jargon, "the marriage has irretrievably broken down… more than five years separation, desertion really, and running off through anomalies... some might call that unreasonable behavior…"

"But Nick," pouted Helen "you can't really…"

"And then of course there's the bit about adultery…" Nick continued.

"I'll forgive you Nick," said Helen pretending to look hurt.

"Not me," glared Nick "you… Stephen told me all about it… so sign the papers and let's be done with it."

"You can't get a divorce that quickly Nick," objected Helen.

"Oh…" interrupted Lester, sounding a trifle bored, "I think you'll find he can… the Minister's given a special dispensation."

Lester narrowed his eyes as he watched that nasty woman frown in anger.

"Who knows," Lester added glancing towards Nick "maybe I'll even perform a marriage someday."

Both Nick and Lester tried to suppress their laughter as Helen picked up the pen.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Stephen watched as Helen Cutter signed the divorce papers and then stomped off back through the anomaly. He understood that Nick just wanted to get on with his life, but Stephen thought letting Helen go was a mistake.

He had a bad feeling about that.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby woke up later that night in a cold sweat. She'd had a nightmare. That thing… that thing of claws, teeth and snarls had tried to kill Connor… and in her nightmare, Abby didn't have a rock… and Stephen didn't come to the rescue like a cowboy in one of the Yank's old films.

She took a deep breath to steady herself. Connor was upstairs, sleeping in her flat, safe. Now was not the time to talk, but tomorrow…

Abby had a lot of things to tell him… she had tried to talk to Connor several times this week, but she never quite got the words she really wanted to say out. Just like this morning, something always interrupted. Abby was sorry she'd missed dinner last week… and she ought to tell him about Jack… and she wanted to know if he was flirting with her really... or not. She thought he might say something... when she said they were pals... but...

Tomorrow, she was going to start with the most important thing Connor should know. It wasn't the rent money she had been really worried about today.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor was thinking again.

Abby clearly thought they were nothing more than pals. She had been trying to teach him how to chat up girls this morning. A woman wouldn't do that if she was interested in a bloke.

It was time for a reality check, thought Connor. He treasured their friendship, but he wanted more. If Abby didn't, then he would just have to respect her decision. Connor realized it was time for him to move on.

He needed to start dating.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Claudia Brown was standing next to Nick when the doctor came out of emergency surgery sometime after midnight.

The ministry's funding for a full fledged Anomaly Research Center including safety gear for the men on the front line had recently been approved in full. The doctor told Cutter that the police issue anti-stab vest Tom Ryan had been wearing that morning was the only thing that had kept the man alive long enough to get him to the hospital. The Captain was going to be a long time recovering, but he would live.

Claudia breathed a deep sigh of relief. Good to know that all those requisition forms she had filled out and submitted for safety gear hadn't been a waste of taxpayer's money.

But Nick Cutter was more exuberant in his expression.

"Did you hear that?" exclaimed the professor as he turned towards her, his eyes shining bright with happiness.

Claudia began to nod, but he was bending his face down toward her and she was tilting her head up towards him.

This time... it wasn't just Claudia... it wasn't just Nick... and it sure wasn't just mouth to mouth resuscitation.

Claudia and Nicholas kissed each other.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	7. A Dangerous Creature

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

1.6-3 A Dangerous Creature

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Helen Cutter stomped off angrily, still clenching the ink pen in her fist.

The glittering anomaly closed behind her as she entered the Permian. The ruined campsite, with its broken tents and supplies tossed everywhere was a mute reminder that her plans had gone horribly wrong. There wasn't going to be a permanent exploratory outpost in the Permian. Helen Cutter wasn't going to be the most famous paleontologist the world had ever known. And Nick Cutter wasn't as smart as she thought he was if he had rejected her.

Helen pulled the little hand held radio frequency detector from her pocket. She had stolen it from some young man stranded in the cretaceous... Patrick... or was his name something else? She couldn't remember... she had run into many lost people in her travels. Helen couldn't be bothered to remember them all... but she did remember the supplies she took from them.

She turned the radio frequency detector on. Holding the detector in one hand and still clutching the pen in the other, Helen slowly turned around in a circle, scanning the area. There was an anomaly open to the future around here and she was going to find it. She stalked off in the direction of the high hills.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

The small dimetrodon was hungry.

And when it heard the human climbing up the hilly path, the creature interpreted the sounds it heard as a sign of weakness... not understanding this new predators huffing, hissing, snarling words.

"Damn him," cursed Helen "I'll get even... I'll get even with all of them..."

When the hungry dimetrodon attacked, Helen dropped the detector in her hurry to defend herself. She stabbed the pointed tip of the ink pen in the dimetrodon's throat... eyes... body. Over and over and over... venting her anger and frustration.

And when the dimetrodon was dead, Helen Cutter howled in rage.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

In the distance, the gorgonopsid hurriedly swallowed its last bite of whatever that was… and ran... as far and as fast as it could. The creature was smarter than a dimetrodon. It knew the sound of a dangerous predator when it heard one.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Helen picked up the broken detector, looked at in and then threw it down on the ground in disgust. She ground her heel on the gadget and then resumed her trek up the hill.

Helen wasn't finished...

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	8. Another Time, Another Place

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

2.1-2 Another Time, Another Place

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester wasn't that demanding now was he?

Just because the core team had been up all night chasing raptors in a shopping mall didn't mean they couldn't come in to greet the new PR person.

"Let me introduce you to Percival Haversham-Smythe III," said Lester.

Cutter turned to look at the slender young man that sauntered across the floor towards him. He blinked.

"Percy," smiled the young man, "my friends call me Percy."

Cutter shook his head, a slight smile tugging up the corners of his lips. "You're not exactly what I expected," began the Scot "what do you think you're going to do here?"

The younger man tilted his head as he gazed at the professor appraisingly. The he squared his narrow shoulders and stood up as tall as he could.

"I'm the best PR man in the business," replied Percy. "If you want me to make people think they haven't seen dinosaurs… I can do that. Or if you want me to make people think there are dinosaurs in London… I can do that too… and if necessary… I can make people love the dinosaurs."

"You'll do," chuckled Nick.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Nick Cutter looked around. The new office space was huge. And it was strangely disconcerting to see so many new people, new equipment. But he didn't see the one face he was looking for. After leaving the hospital last week, Nick had dropped Claudia at her flat. With all the chaos of closing out his offices at the university and moving into their new office space, he hadn't seen her since.

He had meant to stop by her flat after work last night, but the anomaly in the shopping mall had changed his plans. He, Stephen, Abby and Connor had been in the shopping center all night. Nick wanted nothing more than to go home to sleep, but first he had to know.

"Claudia Brown," asked Nick "where is she?"

Lester looked at him in surprise.

"Well, surely you understand," Lester replied "not everyone from the home office was assigned to our new Anomaly Research Center.

"What do you mean?" Nick roared in disbelief. "We need her here."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Stephen's ankle hurt, he was going to the medic's office… if he could find it… but he was tired of carrying that raptor's head. It wasn't something you could just leave in the bowling alley though.

The office across from the medic was open. Stephen stepped inside quickly. He stashed the creatures head out of sight, laying it on the chair.

Then Stephen crossed the hall to the medic's office.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby was standing next to Connor when Cutter shouted.

Her head ached and her muscles hurt with every movement she made. Cutter's bellow made Abby flinch back. She stepped sort of off kilter and swayed. Abby might have fallen, but for Connor catching her.

Lester looked at the pair sternly. "Is something wrong?" he asked "You don't know how much paperwork is required to document an accident in the workplace."

"I shot her," explained Connor "with the tranquilizer gun… I mean… not on purpose of course… Abby's like one of the last people on earth that I would ever…"

Their boss rolled his eyes. "Who gave Connor a gun?" he asked.

"I did," answered Abby "so it's my fault, yeah."

"No Abby," objected Connor "it's my…"

"Oh let's not play the blame game," interrupted Lester "Abby… why don't you go home… get some rest."

"Yeah," said Abby. She looked at Connor. He was reading some papers he was holding and absentmindedly twirling the dial of a radio sitting on the table in front of him. She sighed. All week long, and she had never had a chance to talk to Connor… and after tonight, she thought that was probably a good thing.

Connor had been apologizing profusely since he had shot her with the tranquilizer gun. He said he wouldn't want to shoot her or his Mum… Abby figured that if Connor thought of her in the same manner as his Mum he probably wasn't flirting with her. Watching him now, Abby was sure he wasn't interested in her at all.

She was sure; he was more interested in radio static than Abby.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor was thinking, it was safer than not thinking.

He had been trying, really trying, trying very hard, to not think about Abby all week long.

And for a moment that night he had succeeded. He had left her alone and unconscious on the floor of the bowling alley. Connor couldn't believe it. By not thinking about Abby, he almost got her killed.

And now she was angry with him. Connor couldn't blame her really. If he hadn't been trying to impress her, he would never have shot her in the first place.

When Lester told Abby she could go home, Connor pretended to be very busy… he had reports to read, radio dials to twirl.

Really, he knew she wasn't interested in a geek like him.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Oliver Leek listened to Lester's tirade. Really, the man was just insufferable. Leek couldn't wait until he got rid of the bureaucrat.

"No Lester," Leek replied in an unctuous tone "it won't happen again. It was just an unfortunate mix up… the security team went to the wrong shopping mall."

"See that it doesn't happen again," growled his boss.

Leek turned to hide his smile as he went out the door. Oh, it would happen again. If Leek had anything to do with it, the security team would be off on a wild goose chase every time they had an anomaly. It was time for Leek to get back to his own office. It might not have a grand view, or posh furniture, but it was conveniently located across from the medic's office.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	9. Family, Friends and Worms

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

2.2-2 Family, Friends and Worms

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Nick Cutter still couldn't believe that Claudia Brown hadn't gotten transferred to the ARC with the rest of the team. He had been arguing with Lester for the better part of a week, trying to get her reassigned. He had called her repeatedly, but only reached voice mail. Nick didn't want to sound like he was desperate, so he hadn't left messages at all his calls… just the first two dozen. She hadn't been at her flat when he stopped by either. It was almost as if she had vanished.

When the situation at the skyscraper was under control, Cutter and the rest of the team returned to the ARC. Cutter went to his office determined to start his report on the Pre-Cambrian anomaly, but he had a message on his desk. Cutter picked up the envelope, tore it open and eagerly read the contents. Then he spun around and headed back out again. The reports would have to wait. Sometimes it was good to work for the government. Security had provided the address where Claudia was staying.

The home with its black wrought iron fence and a small garden in front of the white pillared porch was starkly elegant. Cutter wondered for a moment if he had the right address. He checked the paper in his hand. Number eight… street name was right too. He took a deep breath and marched up the walkway, reached his hand out to the brass knocker and thumped it hard on the black door.

Claudia Brown opened the door and smiled at him. "Nick," she said "I thought I was never going to see you again."

"I've been calling you everyday," Cutter blurted out "went by your flat…"

"Claudia," called a querulous male voice "who is it?"

Cutter blinked in surprise. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said "I didn't realize you were busy." He started to turn and back away.

"Nonsense," said Claudia reaching out to grab his wrist "come in… you can meet my father."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Stephen opened the door to his flat with some trepidation. The last time he had been here, he had told Helen in no uncertain terms to be gone when he got back.

He stepped one foot forward into the hallway.

"Helen," he called. No answer. Thinking it was safe, he stepped another foot into the flat and shut the door behind him.

"Who's Helen?" asked a female voice from the kitchen area of the flat.

"Mum," exclaimed Stephen in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

The older woman looked at her son appraisingly. He was a mess, hair disheveled, clothes covered with some sort of red goo and dripping wet.

"Would you like to explain to me why you look like that," his mother questioned "and why I had to hear from Belinda that you and Alison broke it off?"

She put her hands on her hips and fixed Stephen with a glare that made him feel about eight years old again.

"And who," she asked again "is Helen?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby sighed as the door shut.

For a moment there, Abby had thought that she and Connor were finally going to have a chance to talk together about something more important than how to take your tea.

She had wanted to apologize for what she had said when Caroline had asked if they were a couple. Abby's instinctive snappy response "Oh God, as if," had been harsh. And it wasn't exactly what Abby had meant to say… not really.

Connor had been complaining all the way from the skyscraper to the ARC and then to the flat about how uncomfortable he was in his wet, sticky clothing. But when they got to the flat, Connor had put the kettle on and asked her which tea she wanted. It was so sweet of him, thought Abby. Moments like that… made Abby think…

She shook her head. Really mustn't think like that.

Caroline had shown up at the flat. And, Connor hadn't had any difficulty asking Caroline out for a "proper" drink. He must really like her thought Abby. And, Caroline must really like him too. Poor Connor hadn't had that shower yet, hadn't changed into something dry, yet Caroline wanted to go out with him right then. Connor deserved to have someone that liked him.

Abby was supposed to be happy for Connor.

Rex had hissed and snapped at Caroline when the woman had first arrived at the flat. Now, Rex was chirping at Abby, his head tilted sideways.

"Good instincts," Abby whispered as she rubbed his head.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor was thinking how funny it was.

"How funny what was?" asked Caroline.

Oh, crap… he must have said that out loud, thought Connor. He hurriedly took another sip of his drink, and started coughing and spluttering as the harsh liquid made its way down his throat.

"Connor," cajoled Caroline "you must tell me. What was so funny at work?"

Work again thought Connor. Caroline kept asking him questions about work. That was what women did when they were interested in a bloke, right? She must like him… they'd been at the bar for… how long now?

"You were telling me about the funny thing that happened at work today," reminded Caroline.

No, thought Connor. I wasn't telling anything… official secrets act… can't tell. Won't tell. But as Connor picked up the glass of tequila he chuckled.

It wasn't every day you went from being swallowed by a worm, to swallowing the worm.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Oliver Leek was reviewing the personnel records.

Captain Ryan was still on medical leave… might be months before the man was back. Rehabilitation therapy took so long. In the meantime, Leek had beefed up the security forces with some of his own selected men… men he could divert to other tasks at a moments notice. The core team had been accompanied by a small security group today, but Leek was going to do everything possible to make sure that didn't happen again.

The new PR person, Percival Haversham-Smythe III, was a disappointment in Leek's opinion. He had approved the personnel requisition when he learned that Percy had been the last one to be accepted into his training program at university. If there had been anyone else available, the young man wouldn't have got a spot. Leek had hoped that meant the young PR man was useless, but if today's actions were any indication that was not the case. The young man had been authoritative with handling the fire department, convincing with the civilian office workers and according to Cutter come running straight up the stairs to aid the core team when they needed help.

One personnel record Leek could look upon with delight was Claudia Brown's file. He'd let the woman's work assignment lapse during the transfer to the new ARC facility. She had promptly been reassigned to another group. Lester could moan and complain all he wanted, but Claudia's transfer had already been approved… by no less a person than the minister.

Oliver picked up the equipment files next. Let's see… the latest assault rifle… and the next size smaller ammunition… it would look like a clerical error. Oliver chuckled as he filled out the requisition forms.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester waited patiently to talk to his wife about work.

It wasn't until after dinner, after the children were bathed, read stories to and put to bed that he finally broached the subject he was most interested in.

"Vivian," he said "in the shuffle from the home office to the new facility, we seem to have lost one of our core team members."

"Really James?" the tall, slender brunette said as she took one earring out and placed it on the dresser in front of her.

Lester narrowed his eyes at his wife's tone. Hmmm.

"Yes," he responded, trying to sound as disinterested as he possibly could. "A woman… Claudia Brown… she was assigned to our team by the home office… but there's been a bit of a snafu… paperwork… you know."

"And why are you bringing this up now," asked Vivian as she set the other earring down beside the first. She picked up her hairbrush and started to pull it through her long dark brown hair.

"Well, it seems," Lester began "that Claudia has been reassigned… to your group."

Vivian turned to face her husband. Her lips started to turn up in a smile. "I know," she said. "I asked for Claudia specifically… we're going to need all the help we can get in the next few years."

The briefest hint of a frown crossed James Lester's face.

"I don't suppose we could get her back," he said "it would make Cutter… a little less annoying."

Vivian chuckled as she turned to face her husband. Stepping forward, she whispered "Not a chance James."

James Lester tilted his head just a bit to look at Vivian as she came even closer.

"I had to ask," he said.

"I know," she replied as she reached him. Pressing one slender hand to his chest, she reached the other hand behind his head and pulled his face down even closer.

"The ARC can't have all the best people," Vivian said. Then her lips met his. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her firmly against his body.

They didn't talk about work any more that night.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	10. Right?

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

2.3-2 Right?

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Stephen and Percy were arguing.

After the encounter at Blue Sky Park resulting in Valerie's death, Stephen felt guilty. The subsequent anomaly alert that sent them to Gracechurch Street hadn't done anything to change that feeling. Chasing troodons down the streets and into Leadenhall Market had resulted in another civilian death.

"We should tell the public," Stephen said "We could have saved Valerie if she'd only trusted us, and if we had told that shopkeeper…"

"If we had told the shopkeeper that carnivorous dinosaurs were coming after his venison," argued Percy "he would have thought we were crazy."

"We should have posted the train spotter's pictures on the internet," countered Stephen.

"The public wouldn't have believed the pictures were real."

"We'll never know," replied Stephen "now will we?"

Percy looked at the taller man.

"About that train spotter," Percy began "Would you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"I've arranged for him to see the UFM160 track inspection vehicle next week…" continued Percy "and I've got to be there to oversee his tour."

"So…"

"So he thinks I was flirting with him," said Percy "but I wasn't… I was just doing me job… had to get those pictures… could you come with me?" The young PR man sounded nervous at the last words.

Stephen snorted. "Sometimes Percy," he said "you're too good at your job."

"Will you come with me or not?"

"Yeah Percy," answered Stephen "but wouldn't it just be simpler to tell him you weren't flirting with him?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby had been glad when Connor's Anomaly Detection Device had sounded an alert when they returned to the ARC. It proved Connor's machine worked… not that she had ever doubted him, but it was nice to see the smug smile wiped off Leek's face.

And if the alert at Gracechurch Street had caused Connor to miss another date with Caroline, well… that was just a shame.

Right Rex?

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor was thinking.

The anomaly alert when they returned to the ARC had caused him to miss his date with Caroline… again. That was getting to be a habit. Since their first date the previous week… which he really couldn't remember very well since he drank too much tequila… he had missed every other date. Caroline might not want to date him anymore if he kept leaving her hanging... Connor wasn't quite sure how he felt about that.

But really, Connor should focus on work… that's what he was here for. The Anomaly Detection Device demonstration had worked wonderfully. He was quite chuffed about that. Cutter had been pleased… of course the professor wanted the handhelds to be smaller… more compact… that might take some doing. Connor bent over the circuit board in front of him. Abby had looked so hot… Oops! Stop thinking about that!

Connor tried to think of something else. But he kept coming back to one question. What device could he make that would use a heat sensitive camera? Surely the ARC must need something like that.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Oliver Leek had paid Caroline and reminded her that sometimes she had to take one for the team. After she left, he started the vehicle and headed toward the other side of town. The converted factory building suited his purposes. The smilodon that he had diverted should have arrived there and been safely moved to the containment area by now.

He wondered if Helen would be there. If so, Leek might just have to take one for the team too.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester was reviewing the security team records. With Captain Ryan still in rehabilitative therapy, Leek had been handling the security team assignments. But Lester didn't like the way the security team was being deployed.

Twice in just a matter of days, at Blue Sky Park and again at Gracechurch Street, the core team had been sent out without security support. Lester's brow furrowed as he stared at the papers in front of him. It didn't look like they were short staffed... at least not on paper. Then where were the security team members?

Something just wasn't right.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Nick Cutter was staring at the containment center in front of him.

It didn't make any sense for the smilodon to have died in transit from Blue Sky Park to the ARC. Leek's lame attempt to blame Abby and the tranquilizer dose was just pathetic. And the troodons… hadn't they captured four at Leadenhall Market? Three troodons paced back and forth in front of him.

Something just wasn't right.

His cell phone rang. Cutter looked at the caller id... Claudia. He smiled as he answered the phone.

Then again, some things were better than alright.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	11. Words Unspoken

**Disclaimer: Primeval and the song Words Unspoken do not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

2.4-2 Words Unspoken

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby watched as Connor turned his back and walked away. He was quickly moving down the stairs, almost running. Caroline turned to speak briefly to Abby before she followed Connor. The sound of the door closing echoed up the stairwell.

Rex chirped and Abby turned to look at him. His color was better now, bright green again, not the frozen metallic color he'd had last night. Rex tilted his head and looked at her chirping forlornly.

"Yeah," said Abby as she held out her hand "I know the feeling."

Rex chirped again. He didn't come towards her hand, instead leaping into flight and soaring up to the wooden railing above.

"You too," said Abby in disbelief as Rex left her behind. "Well be that way then. I've got things on my mind that I need to sort out…"

A hot shower…not a soak bath… and a change of clothes was the first thing she was going to sort out… she wasn't going to think about what Connor said… not right now… and she surely wasn't going to think about what she had said either.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor was drinking… he didn't want to think.

He had thought Abby was dead today, and then by some miracle, she wasn't. And he had done the action hero thing, followed after her, tried to save her. Granted it wasn't exactly the slaying the dragon type rescue you found in fantasies and fairly tales, but he had pulled her up and away from that… that… creature. He remembered every word he'd said in that strange future world. And when he'd pulled Abby up… alright Cutter had helped, but Connor had held her close. There had been a moment… when he had hoped… but then they came back to reality and the first words out of her mouth…

Caroline was watching Connor warily. He had just finished his second drink and ordered another. The play wasn't even due to start for another ten minutes.

"Connor…," she said as she reached her hand out to grasp his.

"Argh!"

"Connor," asked Caroline "what's wrong with your thumb?"

They didn't see the play after all. Caroline was examining Connor's hand, when the bartender set another drink down. Connor downed it quickly.

"I think we ought to take you to the emergency" said Caroline "your thumb looks really bad."

When Caroline brought him back to the flat later that night, Connor was still pissed. She was staggering under his weight as they made their way up the stairs. Abby was sitting on the couch staring vacantly at the telly. She looked up at the pair when they reached the top step. She crinkled up her nose, looking askance at the pair.

"He's drunk," said Caroline unnecessarily "Do you want to give me a hand here?"

Abby stood up and helped her guide Connor to the couch. She looked at the wrappings on his hand as the two women settled him on the couch. His eyes closed the moment his head hit the pillow.

"What happened to his hand?" asked Abby as she began untying Connor's boot laces.

"Don't know," replied Caroline shortly as she turned to head for the stairs.

"You don't know how your boyfriend hurt his hand," said Abby in a high pitched voice "and now you're leaving?"

Caroline looked steadily at Abby. "It's not his hand that's hurting."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Oliver Leek shivered at Helen's words. He had infiltrated her men into the ARC's security team, but still she wanted more.

"It will be a while," he said carefully "before the contractor can seal off the basement… perhaps you'd like to get a future walrus… or two?"

Helen's lips twisted and curled upwards in a motion that was perhaps meant to be a smile.

"That'll do for starters."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester stopped by the Captain's desk on his way out of the ARC at the end of a very long day.

"You're not supposed to still be here," Lester reminded Captain Ryan. "You're still on light duty."

The man moved slowly and awkwardly into a standing position, grabbing his walking braces as he rose.

"Had to make sure the schedule was reset," replied Tom "you wouldn't believe what a mess it was in."

"It's good to have you back," said Lester as he and Ryan walked slowly to the door. "Today was the first time in ages that we actually had security with the core team on an anomaly call."

"And we almost lost one of the team," Ryan reminded him.

Lester stopped walking and turned to face the man. "Without you and your team," he said "we would have lost so much more."

Ryan didn't acknowledge the praise. He just looked at Lester seriously.

"I'll be on light duty for months," Ryan said "rehabilitative therapy is slow going… when I do get back, if I'm lucky… I'll probably be fit for a desk job… but not a field leader. You should start looking for another head of security operations."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Nick Cutter was grinning.

He and Claudia were going to meet with the marriage registrar on Tuesday.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Stephen had dropped Abby and Connor off at the flat and then left to go meet Percy. They were to take the train spotter on his tour. The skinny man was waiting for them when they arrived at the UFM160 track. His angular face looked at Stephen in surprise.

"I thought you were taking me to see the track inspection vehicle," he said to Percy.

"Well yes," stammered Percy, turning to look at Stephen "we… that is both of us…"

Stephen casually draped an arm across his friend's shoulder and looked at the train spotter. "You don't mind," asked Stephen "if I tag along."

"No," replied the man flushing a bit "I'm only here to see the UFM160 track inspection vehicle."

And really, it was an enjoyable tour. The man liked trains… better than anything or anybody.

When they waved him off, Percy turned to Stephen.

"I didn't expect you to do that," the small, slender man said looking a bit uncomfortable.

"The arm thing?" asked Stephen raising an eyebrow as he looked at the younger man. Percy nodded so hard his narrow shoulders bobbed up and down in unison with his head.

"Did Cutter ever tell you how he and Claudia met?" questioned Stephen "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable… I was just trying to make sure that train spotter thought you already had a boyfriend."

"But I don't have a boyfriend," blurted out Percy "I like girls… and… I wasn't trying to give you the impression..."

"Relax Percy, you're not my type either," said Stephen in a soothing tone of voice "you weren't putting out any sort of impression… I just wanted to help out a friend… and it worked, right?"

"Yeah," said Percy looking at Stephen "but…"

"Don't worry. Helping each other out…" said Stephen, "that's what friends do."

There was only one man Stephen was interested in, not that he would ever say anything.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	12. The Next Move

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

2.5-2 The Next Move

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor's first thought when he saw the mess at the flat was to be grateful that he had broken up with Caroline via text. He wasn't sure if Caroline's aim was as good as his last girlfriend's aim, but he sure didn't want to find out. There were broken dishes and books on the floor. But then Abby called for Rex, and there was no answering chirp.

Abby turned to Connor, her blue eyes wide and worried. "Where's Rex?"

They checked the fridge first, and then they searched the rest of the flat. Rex was nowhere to be found. And there was no trace of Caroline or any of her things. It appeared that she had gone and taken Rex. This wasn't like someone nicking your Gran's old furniture thought Connor. Rex was a living, breathing creature… with feelings… irreplaceable. And Abby loved Rex.

"We'll get him back," Connor promised Abby. She looked up at him. Her blue eyes filling, bottom lip trembling. Connor stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her.

"I promise," he whispered.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Oliver Leek quailed at the woman's angry shout.

"Your clone soldier is gone," he said soothingly "but I got the camera back. Cutter won't be able to prove a thing."

"Do you have any idea how long it takes," Helen hissed angrily "to generate a clone?"

Looking at the rows of clone soldiers standing behind the woman, Leek shrugged. He didn't know and he didn't care. He just wanted to keep Helen Cutter thinking he was on her side, but really… he had his own agenda.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester had accompanied Abby and Connor to the anomaly alert at the Lost World Adventure Park personally. He didn't know where their security team had disappeared to again, but with Cutter and Stephen missing Lester wasn't going to take any chances on losing the rest of the core team.

When Lester got back to the ARC he met with Ryan again.

"I thought you said you fixed the security team assignment schedule," Lester said with a glare.

Ryan looked up from his desk calendar in surprise. "I did."

"The team went out on an anomaly alert today," Lester replied "and there was no security back up."

Ryan pulled up the assignment file on the computer screen in front of him. Pointing at the names on the screen, he turned to Lester.

"Hendriks and Stephenson were sent to Liverpool this morning… there was a creature sighting… but it appears to have been a false tip," the captain said "the other four should have been with the core team… the records show they left for the anomaly site in the other SUV…"

"Then why weren't they there?" asked Lester.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Nick Cutter was thinking about the spyware contaminating the anomaly detection device, the missing camera, and the security officer that apparently moonlighted as a cleaner at shopping malls while he twisted the corkscrew. He pulled the cork out of the bottle and began to pour two glasses of white chardonnay.

Claudia pushed the diced celery and carrots off the cutting board and into a bowl. She then switched knives to begin deboning the chicken. She looked at him.

"Did you remember to talk to Stephen about next week?" Claudia asked Nick.

"What?" Cutter looked at his fiancée. In the dim kitchen light, holding the curved deboning knife in her hand, she looked amazingly like a velociraptor.

"Next week," Claudia reminded him gently "when we go for the ceremony… we'll need two witnesses."

"Oh yeah," replied Nick "he can't make it, so I asked Connor… you said you were asking Abby right?"

"Yeah," agreed Claudia with a smile.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Stephen was sure. There was a traitor on the team. He just didn't know who.

He turned the new key in the lock on his flat door and stepped cautiously inside. A noise from the kitchen stopped him in his tracks. He hoped that Helen hadn't broken in again.

"Stephen," called his mother "is that you?"

He breathed a sigh of relief. "What are you doing here so soon?" he asked his mother as he walked into the kitchen. "Thought you weren't coming back until November…"

The older woman narrowed her eyes appraisingly at him. "Last time I saw you, you were soaked," she replied. "Today… you look like you've been playing in a sandbox… you're covered with dust and sand…"

"I got the locks changed since your last visit," Stephen continued "how did you get in?"

The woman frowned at her son. "Your landlord trusts me," she answered. Reaching up to pull a twig from behind his ear, she asked "And what's that you've got in your hair?"

The timer on the stove dinged. And the woman turned, bending and reaching to take a casserole dish from the oven. The aroma made Stephen's mouth water.

"Is that…"

"Sheppard's pie," she replied with a smile.

Stephen grinned as he reached for the plates.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby didn't know which was harder to believe. That Connor had broken up with Caroline by text… or that the woman had retaliated by taking Rex. She punched her pillow and rolled over again, trying in vain to get some sleep.

It had been scary today. They had almost lost Cutter and Stephen… and Connor too. If she hadn't grabbed him, he would have gone through that anomaly. She shivered. They were lucky to have gotten Cutter and Stephen back… she knew that. And tonight, when they got back to the flat… Rex was missing.

Connor said he would get Rex back for her… he'd never let her down yet, so she really shouldn't worry about Rex. If Connor said he would get Rex back, he would.

But Abby still found it hard to sleep.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	13. The Calm Before The Mammoth

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

2.5-3 The Calm Before The Mammoth

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Oliver Leek enjoyed chewing out Percy the following week.

Really, the idea of starting a training program for students… to learn skills to deal with the anomalies and the creatures that came through them. Ridiculous. Leek didn't care if Taylor Craig or any other number of students was interested in joining the ARC.

By the time Leek got done with his plan there wouldn't be an ARC… or schools for that matter.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester stopped by Captain Ryan's desk on his way out that evening.

"You have some records for me to look at?" he asked carefully adjusting his purple tie.

"Yeah," Tom answered as he reached for a small handful of personnel files. He passed them over to Lester.

"Some options for your next head of security operations," Tom told the head of the ARC. "The two files on top… are the best candidates."

Lester looked at the man in front of him. "I told you," he said quietly "that position is being held for your return."

Tom shook his head. "I got the medical reports back," he replied "I'll be holding down a desk job now… you're going to need a real action man for keeping up with the team on an anomaly alert… not some broken…"

"You're not broken," interrupted Lester angrily "you were wounded in the service of our country… saving lives…"

"So listen to me now," interrupted Captain Ryan tersely "and let me save more lives. I can't be your head of security operations in the field… I'll never be quick, never be able to run again."

Pointing at the files still in Lester's hand, he added "But one of those people can… and they will save lives too."

Lester swallowed hard. He took his gaze off the brave Captain and looked down at the files. He set all but the topmost two files back down on the desk.

"If you say these two are the best candidates," Lester said, looking at the names on the file tabs "then I won't need the other files… Jake Hemple or Hilary Becker. Hmmm, I wonder what it would be like to have a woman in charge of security."

Captain Ryan almost choked. "Becker's not a woman," he told Lester.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Nick Cutter was waiting impatiently on the sidewalk in front of the steps to the government building. Behind him Abby and Connor stood watching him carefully, whispering between themselves.

"I've never been a witness," Connor said quietly "for a wedding before."

"Me neither," replied Abby. "Claudia said we just have to be here… watch them answer some questions… sign on the dotted line when we're told to."

"It doesn't sound much like a wedding," whispered Connor "sounds more like filing your taxes."

Abby elbowed him in the ribs. "Hush," she hissed "she's here."

The sleek jaguar pulled up to the curb. Claudia Brown stepped out from the passenger seat. She was dressed in a short white sundress with gold embroidered trim and wearing gold heels that made her appear several inches taller than normal.

Connor gasped out loud. Abby turned to look at him, narrowing her eyes.

"She makes a beautiful bride now," asked Connor hastily "doesn't she?"

"Yeah," replied Abby with a smile.

From within the car, a voice called "Don't forget these." Claudia reached inside and took a bouquet of yellow and white flowers.

As Abby stepped forward to greet Claudia, she got a glimpse of the other woman in the car. Slender, dark brown hair cascading over her shoulders, the woman asked "Claudia, do you want the hat too?"

"No," smiled Claudia "I just want to get married."

Professor Nicholas Cutter, who had been standing there speechless this entire time, knew a cue when he heard one. He stepped forward.

"Claudia Brown," he said "you scared me… I thought you weren't going to show up."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Stephen watched Nick and Claudia enter the building followed by Abby and Connor. He took a deep breath, then turned on his heel and walked away. He wouldn't be a witness to this wedding.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby couldn't believe how quickly the registrar had gone through the ceremony. In less than twenty minutes she and Connor had affixed their signatures to the witness lines on the appropriate forms. And Nick and Claudia's middle names, she thought with a chuckle, it was as if they were meant to be together.

Nicholas Eugene Cutter and Claudia Eugenia Brown were now married… til death do they part.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor turned to hold out a hand for Abby as she came down the stairs of the government building.

"Who would have thought," he asked conspiratorially "that Claudia worked for Lester's wife?"

Abby chuckled as she stepped onto the sidewalk, but then she heard her name called.

"Abby," called Claudia from the top of the steps, "catch!" She tossed her bouquet high into the air.

Abby and Connor both stopped their forward movement. They turned and watched as the flowers went up… up… up…

As the flowers began their descent, Abby held out her hands.

Pushing past them both, a big burly man knocked Connor sideways into Abby. She stepped off kilter and reached a hand out to the stair rail, saving herself from falling.

"Sorry," the big man grumbled as he went on up the stairs without even stopping.

Connor, now standing where Abby had been just moments before, was hit in the head with the bouquet. The flowers bounced up and as he raised his hands, to protect himself he would forever after insist, Connor caught the bouquet.

Turning to face Abby, his brown eyes wide with surprise, Connor held the bouquet out towards her. "Abby, would you like the flowers?"

"No Connor," she replied with a smirk "you keep them."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	14. After Oliver's Dead and Done

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

2.7-2 After Oliver's Dead and Done

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester tried very hard to keep his face composed as he watched Oliver Leek's last minutes on the television screen. He told Lorraine to turn it off as he went to join Tom Ryan and the last security vehicle going to Leek's base of operations.

When Lester and the Captain arrived, Hendriks directed Abby who was carrying a wounded Rex, Connor, Percy and Caroline into the back of their SUV. Then Hendriks, Stephenson and the remaining soldiers from the ARC began their entrance into the building.

Ryan was intently following the movements of his security staff on the headphones. Lester looked at the four adults and one lizard crammed into the back of the vehicle and decided questions would have to wait. He pulled a silk handkerchief from his inside vest pocket and passed it back to Abby.

At her questioning gaze, Lester replied "For the lizard… can't have him bleeding all over government property."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

"They're coming back now," said Tom Ryan. He reached for the cell phone and dialed 999 requesting an ambulance.

Lester looked at the man. "Who?" he asked simply.

The Captain looked at him "Cutter might need sedating," he answered. Then at Lester's questioning look, he added "Stephen didn't make it."

The sound of horrified gasps told Ryan that the team members sitting behind him had heard his comment, but he was watching Lester. The man opened the door, stepping outside of the SUV.

"Where do you think you're going?" asked the Captain as he started to slowly get out of the vehicle.

"I'll go," Lester said.

"Just because you can walk faster…" began Ryan.

"Don't be ridiculous," replied Lester. Gesturing to the people in the back seat, he continued "You're the one with the gun… keep them safe… it's what we pay you for."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Nick Cutter was sitting on the back of the ambulance. The medic was dabbing at the cut on the side of his face. The professor kept trying to speak, but he was gasping between words.

"My fault," Cutter said, his eyes wide and staring. "We should… never… have…"

Whatever else he was going to say was drowned out by Lester contradicting him.

"It wasn't your fault," Lester interrupted forcefully "I'm the one called him… got him back to work… told him we needed him…"

Nick started to say something more, but the medic shoved the oxygen mask over Cutter's mouth before the man could start objecting again.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby couldn't believe it.

Cutter had been taken to the first ambulance. Lester was there now, talking to the professor. In the SUV, they could hear some of what was being said.

The ambulance crew was bringing up a covered gurney. It was taken to the second ambulance.

Percy was arguing with Captain Ryan.

"I need to get out," said Percy "I've got a job to do… need to talk to Cutter and Lester."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor was staring. He watched the second ambulance get loaded and drive off. A third ambulance pulled up to take its place. Somewhere in the back of his mind he registered the sound of Percy and Captain Ryan arguing, but really all he could think was no, not again… not another friend dead.

Caroline stepped out of the SUV to let Percy go, then she climbed back inside. She turned sideways somehow facing the ambulances, oblivious to the fact that she was now taking up more room in the back seat than she and Percy had used together. Caroline leaned back against Connor.

Connor scooted a little bit away from the woman. Caroline leaned back across the seat even further. Connor scooted sideways again, he scooted closer to Abby. Their bodies touched. Connor looked at Abby. Tears filled her blue eyes, matching the ones threatening to spill out of his brown eyes. They leaned together, supporting each other.

Beside them, Caroline didn't care if Abby thought she had manipulated Connor yet again. Caroline hadn't done it for Abby.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Percy had heard the Professor's account of Stephen's last words too.

"He didn't want the creatures to get out," said Cutter. "Stephen said can't take the risk and then he said for me to tell Abby and Connor to stay out of trouble."

Percy thought, the risk that Stephen wouldn't take… didn't have a thing to do with creatures getting loose.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Claudia thanked her boss for once more giving her a ride to meet Nick. She exited the jaguar and hurried across the pavement to the ambulance. The medic was unsuccessfully trying to bandage her husband, while Lester and the new public relations person were arguing.

"Nick," asked Claudia reaching for his hand "are you all right?"

"Claudia," exclaimed Nick pulling her close "I'm so glad to see you… I thought I'd lost you too."

"What?"

"It was Helen…," replied Nick "she was working with Leek… she's mad… kept on talking about you and some woman named Jenny Lewis."

"Who?"

"I don't know… never heard of her before," answered Nick "but Helen… she kept talking about changing the world… sending it in a new direction… and asking what happened to Claudia Brown."

"What did you tell her," asked his wife.

"Claudia Brown doesn't exist any more," said Nick with a tiny trace of a crooked smile "but I didn't think Helen needed to know about Claudia Cutter."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Vivian Lester watched as the ambulance with Claudia and Cutter left. Then another covered gurney was loaded into the last ambulance. It left the building that Leek and Helen had used to warehouse the creatures. Lester walked Percy back to the SUV, then the younger man climbed inside. The SUV followed the remaining ARC security vehicles out of the parking area.

James Lester watched them go, then turned and sauntered back to the parked jaguar. He opened the passenger door and slid into the seat. James looked at his wife.

"Stephen, Leek and an inordinate number of creatures are dead," James told her "but she's still out there."

"When would it ever be that easy?" asked Vivian "But we will capture Helen… before she changes the world."

James Lester reached his hand across the space between them to take her long slender fingers off the gear shift. Bringing her hand to his lips he placed a tender kiss on the back of her hand.

"Wouldn't want her changing the world now," he replied, unknowingly echoing Cutter's earlier words "I happen to think the world is rather beautiful just the way it is."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	15. Bad Timing

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

2.7-3 Bad Timing

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Nick Cutter stood between Claudia and Connor as the funeral service was read.

The pale countenance of Stephen's mother faced him from across the casket. After the service concluded, he and Claudia walked over to the woman. Nick mumbled incoherent words of sympathy and loss, gradually running out of words.

"We're so sorry Mrs. Hart," added Claudia.

The grief stricken woman blinked her eyes, focusing for a moment on the pair in front of her.

"And who are you?" asked Stephen's mother.

"I'm Claudia Cutter, and this is my husband Nick," replied the younger woman.

The older woman turned her head to stare directly at the professor. Her chin was trembling, she sniffed audibly in an attempt to hold back her tears.

"I thought," Mrs. Hart said "when Stephen said he was a lab assistant… it was a safe field. I was glad he wasn't a soldier like his older brother and my husband had been."

The woman stared at Nick and Claudia for a moment before taking a deep breath and continuing.

"Do you want to tell me… how a lab assistant gets killed on the job?" she asked. "He was only thirty-two years old!"

Lester and his wife approached at that moment. Vivian took Mrs. Hart by the hand and lead her away.

Lester spoke. "We've got another anomaly."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby was walking beside Connor, trying not to trip in the high heels she was wearing. The shoes were made for a dance floor, not the gravel paths of a cemetery she thought.

Caroline approached Connor. The beautiful woman stammered an apology to Connor, never looking at Abby. Abby seethed inwardly. Was the woman trying to make a move on Connor… for real this time? Any kind thoughts Abby might have had for the woman disappeared as Caroline said "You have my number."

Hmmph. Abby certainly had that woman's number. Abby sneaked a peek at Connor. He still seemed shell shocked. He just blinked and turned away without saying a word. Abby turned quickly to join him.

Abby might have been amazingly thick where Connor had been concerned, but she wasn't going to make the same mistakes. She started to take his hand, but then withdrew. Now was not the right time… but soon.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor had pulled the same black suit and blue shirt he had worn to Tom's funeral just a few short months ago out from the closet this morning. He had been somewhat surprised when Abby appeared dressed in matching black and dark blue. He was even more surprised when Caroline had stopped him after the funeral.

Connor thought he would never understand women… not in a million… no make that a hundred million... years.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Percy had been walking behind Abby and Connor as they left the interrment and headed for the parking lot. When the pair had been interrupted by Caroline, he simply moved around them and kept on walking.

Then Cutter called. There was another anomaly. Percy strode quickly to join the professor. He climbed into the front of the SUV beside the man as Abby and Connor hurried to climb in the back.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester watched the team drive off. His wife came up to stand beside him, gently slipping her hand into his, squeezing it tightly for a moment before loosening her grip.

"Don't you think," Vivian asked "that it's a little soon for them to be getting back to work?"

"Work's the best thing for them," James answered "they need something… to take their minds off…"

"Work… without Stephen," suggested Vivian gently "might not be the best solution."

"Then what would you suggest?" asked James sarcastically turning to face her, "A walk in the park, drinks at the pub, maybe they should all take up writing fanfiction or sit on the sofa eating bonbons and watching telly..."

Vivian looked at her husband, his green eyes brimming with unshed tears. Stephen's death had been hard on all of them, including James Lester... although he would never admit it. She wrapped her arms around him, drawing him close.

"I think," she whispered "that you should come home with me now… be there when the children come home from school, spend the weekend doing ordinary things… don't think about work… and you might ought to give the others Monday off."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Cutter looked in the rear view mirror. Abby was bent over changing her heels for the trainers she kept in the SUV. Connor was checking the safety on a tranquilizer gun.

Cutter slammed on the brakes.

"Connor! Who gave you a gun?" the professor roared.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	16. The Bear Facts of the Anomaly

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

2.7-4 The Bear Facts of the Anomaly

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby finished tying the laces on her trainers and looked sideways at Connor. He was still holding the tranquilizer gun, blinking at Cutter's outburst, his mouth opening and shutting as he tried to respond. But Cutter was still shouting, not letting Connor speak.

"What do you think you're doing Connor?" asked Cutter angrily. "This is not a game… you're not some action hero in a movie… going after dinosaurs…"

"Conn," Abby said quietly "give me the gun so I can check the tranquilizer dose… yeah."

Cutter turned his head to glare at her.

"And you," the professor continued, looking from Abby to Connor and back again, "you're not even twenty-five yet… the two of you shouldn't be here… risking your lives… you're too young!"

"And if we don't," interrupted Connor shrilly, finally finding his voice, "if we're not here stopping the creatures… then who will Professor? Who will stop the creatures from killing… if we don't?"

It was Cutter's turn to blink and stare, opening and shutting his mouth. In the sudden silence, Percy spoke up.

"Would you like me to drive to the anomaly site?" he asked. Cutter turned to face the young man at his side.

"No," answered Cutter taking his foot off the brakes and pulling the SUV out onto the roadway. "I'm driving."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor leaned back against the seat, his seatbelt tightening against his chest as Cutter floored the accelerator on the SUV. He was still holding the tranquilizer gun. Fingers gently touched his hand.

"Conn," Abby repeated quietly "give me the gun so I can check the tranquilizer dose… yeah."

Connor released his hold on the weapon, and reached for his messenger bag. Pulling out the laptop, he asked "Have we got any data on the anomaly yet?"

From the front seat of the SUV, Percy turned to look at him. "There's been an incursion," he said pointing to the communications device "Captain Ryan's sending a security team to meet us there… we're to wait for back up."

"Wait for back up?" asked Abby in surprise. "With a creature loose?"

"Lester's new rules," said Cutter with a snort "We're supposed to have security with us at all times." He pulled the SUV into a narrow country lane lined with drainage ditches and split rail fences. Pasture land was on either side of the road.

"I think we're going to be breaking Lester's new rules," replied Connor. Pointing directly in front of them as Cutter slowed the SUV and brought it to a halt he said, "Because there's the anomaly…" Then he pointed to the left "And there's the creature."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Percy listened to Connor explaining that the creature munching on Mr. Evan's prize yearling calf was most likely an Arctodus, commonly called a short faced bear. The carnivorous creature was huge and according to Connor not likely to make quick turns. The face must be the only thing short about the creature Percy thought.

"We need to herd him back through the anomaly," said Cutter. "Everybody grab some rocks… not you Abby… keep the tranquilizer gun ready… in case the bear doesn't want to go back."

"What?" exclaimed Percy "Why aren't we waiting for back up?"

"The anomaly's blinking," answered Connor pointing at the flickering light in the roadway "it's getting ready to close."

Percy looked at the young man loading his hands with rocks from the side of the road. "And what do we do if it turns towards us?" Percy asked.

"Run," replied Connor. Then, as if in afterthought, he added "And try to zigzag a bit… might help."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester didn't go home after Stephen's funeral. He stayed at the ARC and was there when the field and security teams returned. He listened to Captain Ryan's debriefing report. He couldn't believe that his field team had resorted to throwing rocks at a prehistoric bear.

Ryan's security team had arrived as the annoyed creature had turned away from the carcass it was eating. It roared in frustration and began to climb out of the pasture, through the broken rail fence and up to the road. Instead of heading towards the anomaly, it had run straight at Abby. Connor had bolted towards the young woman, tackling her and rolling her down the embankment on the other side of the road before the Arctodus even came close to her… but the huge creature roared and continued on. Hendriks and Stephenson had been obliged to use lethal force. The bear was dead.

"Any injuries?" asked Lester.

"Abby's got some bumps and bruises from Connor tackling her," replied the Captain "but Connor…"

"What about Connor?"

Ryan smirked. Abby had been at the bottom of the embankment, her body completely covered by Connor.

"She was calling Connor… telling him to get off her," chuckled Ryan "but he wasn't moving. Stephenson jumped down there and rolled Connor off of her… the tranquilizer dart had jabbed him in the leg… he'll probably have quite a headache…"

Lester tried to suppress a smirk.

"Well, it seems only fair," Lester replied "I seem to recall having to fill out health and safety forms for Connor shooting Abby with a tranquilizer not so long ago."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Cutter was ranting again.

"You were supposed to get in the SUV if the creature turned towards you." the professor roared "what were you thinking?"

Connor winced at the loud noise the professor was making. "Ow."

He didn't think he should tell Cutter that he'd been thinking about how great Abby's legs looked in that short skirt… and the wind ruffling that same short skirt…

"Connor," said the professor in a gentler tone of voice "I can't… lose anyone else."

"Cutter," said Abby taking Connor by the hand "you won't lose us… we stick together… we watch out for each other."

She pulled Connor up to a standing position. He let out a little involuntary moan and closed his eyes.

"And right now," Abby continued "I think I should take Connor back to the flat for a lie down. Yeah."

"Yeah," agreed Cutter as he watched Percy open the door to his office and let the pair out. "Oh, and don't forget… Lester said we've got Monday off."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	17. The Long Weekend

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

2.8 The Long Weekend

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor had quite a headache. The lights hurt his eyes and the noise from Abby's phone sounded like all the car horns in central London blaring at once in the worst traffic jam imaginable. The ride home from work in the mini had been torture. He knew the shock absorbers on the car were overdue for changing, but not until today had he realized quite how overdue. Abby had held his arm, guiding him every step of the way from where she parked the car until she released him in the flat.

Normally, Connor would be ecstatic over such solicitude from Abby, but right now he just ached. He was lying down, stretched out across the sofa. Connor wasn't ready to face the stairs to his bedroom. He tried to pull the pillow over his face, but that hurt too. He groaned.

"Connor," scolded Abby "it can't be that bad… I know… I remember what it was like when you shot me."

"Abby," said Connor sounding pathetic "I never meant to hurt you…"

"Hush," she said as she sat down beside him jiggling the cushions. "Sit up… I've brought you some tea."

He tried. Really, Connor would try to do just about anything for Abby, but one sip of tea did him in. He was up and scrambling across the floor trying to make it to the lavatory. He almost succeeded.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Percy turned off his cell phone and headed out of London.

He was going to Brighton… the rest of the team had talked of the place often and it had made him curious. And supposedly… it was a great place to meet girls.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester got home in time to have dinner with his wife and children.

And if their youngest daughter decided the peas were better on the floor than on her plate, well that was alright. He knew how to sweep up. James Lester was a man of many talents.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Cutter grinned at the sight that greeted him when he opened the door to his and Claudia's flat.

Before they had married, the two had talked about what kind of home they wanted to create together. Her flat was too small for a couple, so she had let the lease go. His house was huge, but Claudia had been reluctant to move into the house he had owned with his first wife. And Cutter definitely understood. He didn't want Helen's memories to cast a shadow on his new life with Claudia.

Central Metropolitan University had been glad to have the home returned to their roster of faculty housing. Together, Nicholas and Claudia had gone searching London for a place to call their own. They soon found a cozy little place located between both their workplaces. It was near enough, but not too near.

By the time Nick and the team returned from the bear anomaly and met with Lester it was getting dark. A message on his desk phone told him that Claudia had already gone home. So he did what any newlywed man would. Professor Cutter shoved the files in his desk drawer, turned off the light, and pulled the office door shut behind him.

Now he was home, standing in the entryway grinning. Claudia's coat was dangling off the hook in the hall tree. One shoe was almost beneath it, while the other shoe appeared further down the hallway. He could see her purse setting on the closest kitchen counter.

Cutter followed the trail of her belongings into the kitchen. Next to the sink, a corkscrew showed evidence of use. While two goblets waited expectantly beside an open bottle of pinot noir.

"Nick," called Claudia from upstairs "is that you?"

"Well yeah," he replied as he poured wine into the goblets "were you expecting someone else?"

"Nick," Claudia called again "I need some help… would you please come up here?"

"On my way," Cutter responded with a chuckle. He started up the stairs, the drinks forgotten. As he reached the upstairs hallway, he noted that the blouse Claudia had been wearing earlier was now draped across the laundry basket sitting outside the bedroom door. The door was slightly ajar. He pushed it open.

Claudia stood there with her back to him. She turned to face him.

"I can't find a thing to wear," she said with a smirk.

Nick stepped forward into the bedroom. "I think you look beautiful," he breathed. "The birthday suit is very becoming on you."

Sometime later, they did remember the wine downstairs.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby had thought at first that Connor was faking it.

She didn't remember being so miserable when he had shot her with the tranquilizer. But when he fell to the floor heaving the contents of his stomach, she knew he was having some sort of reaction. Somehow, she had managed to get him back into the car and drive him to the emergency clinic.

The nurse wanted to know what was making Connor ill. Abby's response of animal tranquilizer had just gotten a suspicious glare from the woman. From the expression on her face, Abby thought the woman must think that she and Connor were a pair of drug addicts. Pumping his stomach wouldn't work, he hadn't ingested the tranquilizer… it was already in his blood stream. Connor wasn't able to remember any previous allergic reactions, and calling his mother's phone number had just reached an answering machine.

So Abby was back at the ARC, picking up a package of the tranquilizer medication to show to the hospital. It wasn't until she looked at the label, that she realized what the difference was. Abby had been shot by one of their earlier tranquilizer darts. The medication they used then was a standard veterinary dosage of one drug. The medication that Connor had been shot with today was a combination drug… three different medications. No wonder he was ill.

Abby hurried back to the hospital, tranquilizer in hand. She just wasn't expecting to see a constable there when she arrived, nor was she expecting to see Connor hooked up to a heart monitor.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Lester had to go back to London. He needed to convince a constable and some hospital administrator that Abby and Connor weren't illegally using controlled substances.

The doctor had administered a medication to counteract the tranquilizer the younger man had been injected with, but the man wasn't going to release Connor for twelve hours. The doctor insisted on monitoring Connor's blood pressure for that long. Abby insisted on staying with Connor. Lester grumbled and complained, but really he wasn't going anywhere without the two of them.

When he finally got the two out of the hospital, Lester drove Abby and Connor back to their flat. With stern orders to stay inside and not get in trouble, Lester headed the jaguar out of London once more. With any luck, he'd be home in time for dinner, and he could restart the weekend.

Good thing they all had Monday off.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	18. Fully Briefed

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

3.1-2 Fully Briefed

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Sarah had filled out innumerable forms for her new position with the ARC. She wasn't about to miss out on the biggest opportunity to research living legends imaginable. Signing the official secrets act was just the first of many forms she had to complete.

It was late afternoon by the time she remembered to call the British Museum and give them her resignation. Quitting without notice was going to mean she wouldn't get a reference or ever be able to apply for a job there again. But this new job was worth it. She asked to be connected to the Middle East Antiquities department head, so she was surprised when Jamal answered.

"You're going to need to cover the children's lecture tomorrow," Sarah told her boyfriend. "I've got a new job."

"What? When are you starting?"

"I've already started," Sarah replied. "Can't tell you much… official secrets act… see you for dinner, yeah."

"Yeah," answered Jamal sounding puzzled.

As she hung up the phone, Sarah looked at the bottle Cutter had given her earlier that morning. This was a great opportunity, she reminded herself as she poured the contents of the bottle down into the sink, but she didn't need that.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Percy was ecstatic that Sarah was joining the team. In the months since Stephen had died, the Professor had been primarily focused with safety issues. Cutter hadn't seemed interested in the anomalies, the reason they existed or how to stop them. But today, for the first time in a long time, Percy thought he'd seen the old Cutter. The man had been excited by Ammut and what the creature had represented.

Ancient civilizations had known about anomalies. If following up on old legends was going to bring Cutter around, Percy was going to help. He had connections at the British Library. Percy picked up his cell phone and dialed.

"Susan," he asked "do you remember me, Percy… we met a Brighton a while back?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester hung up his suit jacket and started to undo his tie.

"You'll never guess," he began "who I ran into today."

"Who?" asked Vivian.

"Christine Johnston," James answered "she's back from Jamaica… wants to discuss the military involvement with the ARC."

Vivian narrowed her eyes and looked at him with a frown. "I thought we'd seen the last of her," she replied with a worried tone. If there was anyone Vivian thought more dangerous than Helen Cutter, it was Christine Johnson.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Cutter looked at the bottle he had been carrying around all day with some surprise. Really, since when was it acceptable to have beer bottles in a work environment he wondered.

It wasn't his fault that Stephen was dead. Claudia had been telling him so, and she was right. But he had felt guilty. He knew he had been spending too much time at work… and too many nights working. It was time for that to change. He couldn't change the past… or at least he didn't think he could.

Nick poured the contents of the bottle down into the sink and went home to Claudia. He had some making up to do.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Christine Johnson leaned back in the chair and put her feet up on her desk. Not really ladylike behavior, she thought as she crossed her ankles, but who gives a damn. She brought her hands together and started to rub them back and forth. A cold, calculating smile started from the corners of her lips.

James Lester didn't know what was coming.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby thought she would like Sarah. Teasing Connor about the Sun Cage being cursed was brilliant. But when Abby saw how interested Connor was in everything the Egyptologist had to say, Abby began to wonder. Was Connor interested in the woman's theories, or the woman?

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor was thinking. The new project Cutter had assigned him, researching magnetite and its properties, was exciting. But the really interesting part was the way the electricity combined with the magnetite to affect the anomalies. And if what Dr. Page and Professor Cutter were theorizing about the legends and anomalies was correct… maybe… just maybe they had made a real breakthrough today.

He glanced at Abby. She was driving the mini back to the flat. Her eyes were fixed on the heavily trafficked roadway in front of her. They were going home. Connor hoped that Rex had eaten all the salad off his sofa bed… and hopefully hadn't done anything that would require washing sheets before Connor could get some sleep. He wondered if he should interrupt her concentration or not. Connor was also wondering a few other things.

"Abby," ventured Connor "what did you think about the new folks?"

"Well," answered Abby "That Captain Becker seems to know his stuff. For the first time in ages, we had a full security contingent with us on an anomaly call."

Connor swallowed. So she had noticed the new security Captain. The man appeared to be quite a bit younger than Captain Ryan had been. He reached one hand clad in red fingerless gloves up to his red and blacked striped scarf. Connor pulled it away from his throat… it suddenly seemed just too tight.

Abby continued, "So what did you think of Sarah?"

Connor blinked, thinking again, wondering who Abby was talking about, then realization hit. "Dr. Page is wonderful," he began babbling "her work on legends and myths was part of the supplementary reading in…"

Abby never took her eyes off the road, but as Connor continued chattering on, she smiled. Yeah, she liked Sarah Page.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Becker had been fully briefed. Tom Ryan had been thorough. Becker just hadn't believed the references to dinosaurs in the briefing reports actually meant real live dinosaurs in London. He'd thought the terms were code names of some sort. Detect anomalies and fight dinosaurs. Really?

He shook his head thoughtfully as he opened the door to his new efficiency flat. He'd only been back in England for three weeks now. The better part of that time had been spent getting his mother moved into the rehabilitation facility and closing up the family home. The solicitor would handle the sale.

The return to London and the extra hazardous duty pay this new assignment provided had both been incentives for him to take this new position with the ARC. Hopefully his extra pay, combined with the proceeds of the sale, and the insurance settlement from the accident, would provide enough funds to maintain Becker's mother for as long as she needed care. The small widow's pension she received since his father's death certainly wouldn't cover much.

If today was a typical example, Becker was sure he could handle the job. No one had gotten killed. Becker just wasn't sure he could handle that young geeky scientist calling him Action Man.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	19. Cutter's First Prediction

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

3.2-2 Cutter's First Prediction

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Percy had pulled every string he knew existed to get Connor out of jail earlier that day. He had even gone as so far as to get the Home Secretary involved. But he knew there was a price to be paid. Drinks with a colleague, he reminded himself. A professional meeting, that's all, nothing more. And if she asks too many questions, just leave.

He entered the pub. The woman was already there.

"Percy," she growled "nice of you to make it."

"Hello Christine."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester had a stiff upper lip. It wasn't just a figurative expression, it was the literal truth. The dentist had injected more Novocain in his mouth than any one man could possibly need.

"Open wide," order the dentist as the sound of the drill began to buzz.

For once in his life, Lester couldn't think of a witty comeback. He silently opened his mouth.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Helen had entered the house quietly. At first she thought that Nick must have finally redecorated, but then she saw the photographs… a different family now lived in what had once been her home.

It took a little bit of research, but Helen was a trained research scientist. She found the new address for Professor Nicholas Cutter. When she went to that house, she found her former husband had indeed redecorated. He had pictures of this woman, Claudia, everywhere.

Helen frowned. She breathed in sharply, taking tight shallow breaths. She had a job to do, a plan to carry out. She needed a source of DNA material… his hair comb should do nicely. And if she knocked a picture over in her haste to leave, she certainly wouldn't take time to sweep up the broken glass.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Cutter had brought Claudia back to the ARC after hours. He had to show her the tubes spiraling and intersecting as they twirled about the room.

"Every spot these lines intersect," he said excitedly "indicates an anomaly. This is a roadmap to the anomalies."

"And what will that tell you?" asked Claudia.

"We can predict anomalies," Nick answered. "The first prediction… it already happened. It works!"

Claudia smiled at her husband. "Of course it does Nick," she responded "now let's get home."

He looked up from the notes in his hand. She didn't seem as excited about this new development as he had hoped she would be. Nick looked back down at the two other predictions he had been able to make from this model. The second prediction was more specific for date and location, but it wasn't due for months. The third prediction was specific to date, time and location but was so many years into the future that Cutter thought it hardly worth mentioning. Oh well. He would give the predictions to Lester tomorrow.

Tonight, he was going home with his wife.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Danny Quinn was parked outside the big office building. He had trailed the young scientist he had arrested earlier, along with the government public relations man, and the pretty blonde woman to this building.

Now, he was waiting. Danny wanted to know more about those strange splintering lights… those things they called anomalies.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby was thinking.

Connor had come running when she screamed. Then, she had jumped on his back as a prank. Teasing and joking like pals do... that's all it was she told herself. But then she kissed him… lightly on the cheek, just a thank you kiss… it wasn't important. Right?

And Connor hadn't reacted like it was important. In fact, he hadn't really reacted at all. So she might as well quit thinking about kissing Connor. Right?

But Abby couldn't quit thinking.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor was thinking.

Abby had kissed him at the house earlier. A thank you kiss, some pessimistic part of his mind insisted, nothing more. But it was a kiss, reminded a more hopeful portion of his mind. He just wished he knew what Abby had meant by that kiss… or if she meant anything at all by it.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Becker finished writing his report. He attached it to the email and pushed the send button. He sighed.

It had not been a good day. He'd killed a man today. Granted, it had been self defense, but… it was a human life. The coroner had confirmed that much, in spite of what Professor Cutter might think.

Becker got up from his desk and stretched. He started towards the door. As he turned off the light to his office, he tried to convince himself that security was getting better here. The IDs were a step in the right direction. No one got in the ARC today without an ID.

Tomorrow, he would work with his security team to ensure that the ID a person used to get inside the ARC actually matched the person.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Sarah looked at Jamal in frustration. "I told you," she repeated "I can't say… it's government business… I'm not at liberty to discuss…"

"Yeah," replied Jamal, equally as frustrated "but what kind of government business… really… you're researching ogres, unicorns and dragons… it doesn't make sense."

Sarah sighed. "Do you really expect working for the government to make sense?" she asked hoping to make light of the issue. It seemed to work.

He chuckled. "Not really."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	20. Pick Your Moments

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

3.3-2 Pick Your Moments

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester hated this part of his job. He waved his ID at the security officer as he entered the branch of the ARC dedicated to returning temporally displaced humans to their proper time. His wife's personal assistant greeted him and offered to escort him to her office.

"No Louise," he replied "I'm here for a different reason today. I need to speak to Claudia… Claudia Cutter."

Lester straightened his yellow striped tie, then followed the woman through a maze of hallways and desks. They finally arrived at Claudia's cubicle. She looked up at him in surprise.

"Lester," Claudia asked with a smile as she rose to stand "what brings you here?"

"Claudia," replied James softly "there's been an incident."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Helen had watched all the commotion. That young student had carried Nick out of the burning building… an ambulance arrived in the parking area… medics loaded up Nick's unmoving body and the sirens screamed as the ambulance left again. The people left behind were clinging to each other, sobbing.

She pulled a small rectangular device out of one of her many pockets. Helen slid back the metallic cover exposing a beveled glass and numbered keypad. She punched some numbers on the device. The air in front of her shimmered, fractured and an anomaly opened. Helen stepped through to another time and place, a horrible place. Helen screamed in frustration.

Shooting Nick hadn't solved anything.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Danny Quinn had helped pull people from the rubble and debris of the burning ARC. There had been at least three explosions from what he had heard. The furnace and the gas line accounted for the last two bigger explosions, but the first explosion… that sounded smaller… more contained. Danny thought it sounded like a bomb.

He might not know a whole lot about anomalies or the creatures that came through them, but Danny knew of only one type of creature capable of building a bomb. A human.

-_x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby had driven the mini back to the flat. It had been an unexpectedly quiet ride. Neither she nor Connor had felt like talking.

They had dropped the diictodons off at the flat earlier, after leaving the hospital. Abby had introduced the creatures to Rex, fixed a dish with vegetables and a bowl with water. Snuffling and snorting the two diictodons made themselves quite at home by the time Connor and Abby had left to go back to the ARC with Cutter and Becker.

As she pushed Connor's back, heading him into the flat, the two wriggly little creatures scampered towards them. Rex chirped from an overhead light fixture and tilted his head watching. Abby smiled. She stepped forward, bending down to pet the creatures. Then she turned to look at Connor. He still had that sad, dazed look on his face that had been there ever since he carried Cutter out of the ARC.

She stood up and reached for his hand, pulling him closer, intending for him to pet the diictodons too.

"Ow!"

"What's wrong with your hand?" asked Abby releasing her hold.

"Same thing that's wrong with me other hand," replied Connor looking at her with his big brown eyes.

"And what's that?" demanded Abby narrowing her eyes to look closer at Connor. "And were you supposed to bring that thing home with you?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor looked at the long cylindrical metal artifact he held in his hands. Abby took it from him and set it down on the low table in front of the sofa. She began peeling off his fingerless gloves. Abby gasped at the sight of his bruised and swollen fingers.

"Couldn't leave it there," Connor replied. "Cutter said it was important."

The professor had told Connor it was on him now. He told Connor he was a good man. Cutter was counting on Connor. Whatever this thing was, Connor had to figure it out.

"I don't think I can do this on my own."

It wasn't until he heard his voice echo off the walls of the flat that Connor realized he had spoken out loud.

"You're not alone," replied Abby. "We're a team. We'll do this together."

Connor looked at her silently.

"And right now," she continued "the first thing we're going to do is put ice on your hands." She turned and started across the flat, heading to the refrigerator.

"Right Nurse Abby," Connor said as he followed her.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Becker met up with Tom Ryan later that evening at a small pub.

"You wanted to talk with me?" asked the older man as he sat down in the booth opposite Becker. A waitress set a pint down on the table in front of him.

"I wanted to thank you," clarified Becker.

"What for?" exclaimed Ryan in surprise.

"All those reports," replied Becker "without the information you provided… today might have been a lot worse."

Ryan looked at the young Captain. Since he had left the ARC, Ryan knew that Becker would never be able to tell him all of what had happened today. But some of his concern must have shown in the expression on Ryan's face.

"You'll probably see some mention of the ARC on the news tonight," Becker continued "Although Percy is doing his level best to squash it."

Becker raised his glass up. Ryan did the same with his pint. The glasses clinked together, an unspoken acknowledgement.

"I hope Sandhurst treats you well," Becker said changing the subject. "They're lucky to have you teaching."

"Haven't started yet," replied the ARC's former chief of security. "I've got another weeks leave to get the family moved and settled."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Sarah shook her head. "I can't talk about it," she replied.

The man she had once told all her secrets to shook his head in frustration. "You smell like smoke," he complained "Are you seeing someone else, someone who smokes?"

"No," Sarah exclaimed in surprise. At his incredulous look she added "There was an explosion, the building caught on fire… it'll be in the evening news."

Jamal looked at her suspiciously. Sarah rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"I need a shower," she said heading for the bathroom.

"That I believe," snorted Jamal.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Percy was trying to stop the network from airing the footage they had taken, but explosions, ambulances and fire trucks were big news.

If someone pointed a camera in the direction of a Colombian mammoth, it really wasn't Percy's fault that the creature snatched the camera and tossed it across the parking lot. Hopefully the other news affiliates would be too busy filming Percy's distraction to try and take pictures of the ARC again.

There was one reporter who was especially nosy… Percy couldn't remember what his name was… Mick or Rick or something like that. Percy rubbed the mammoth's trunk.

"You're camera shy," Percy said. "Right Elton?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Cutter lay totally still on the hospital bed. Lester opened the door and let Claudia enter.

"I'll just wait out here," he told her.

Claudia approached the bed slowly. Nick's body was battered and bruised. His face was reddened from the heat of the explosions. The bandages covering his upper right chest were perhaps the most frightening of all.

As she reached the side of the bed, Nick's eyes fluttered open.

"Claudia," he whispered hoarsely.

"Nick," she replied "you frightened me."

"Sorry," he answered wincing with the effort of speaking.

"There was something I was going to tell you," Claudia started "when we got home tonight… but since you're here in the hospital…"

"What?" he asked.

"I think you need a different line of work," said Claudia "a job where you can spend more time at home."

She pushed the bed rail down, and lifted his hand gently from his side, bringing it to her abdomen. Claudia smiled.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	21. Crash

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

3.4-2 - Crash

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Christine Johnson stared through the security glass to the glittering anomaly open in the adjacent room. Her mouth was slightly open, her teeth gleaming in the half light of the room, her eyes shone with a slightly feral gleam.

Captain Wilder shivered unexpectedly as he watched the woman. He thought the future creature they had contained in the next room was not the only dangerous predator in this building.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Danny Quinn parked his motorcycle and walked towards the large building in front of him.

He had always been good with machines. Summers working at his uncle's construction firm had given him experience with a variety of heavy equipment. He could drive just about anything: cars, trucks, forklifts, backhoes… he'd even taken flying lessons. He was qualified to fly small single engine planes and had started helicopter flying lessons. Today, that had proved fortuitous.

But if he was going to keep following those folks and their anomalies, there might come a time when he needed a different sort of ride. He stepped into the stable.

"Ahh, Mr. Quinn," greeted the owner, a sprightly older woman "ready for your horse back riding lesson?"

-_x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby couldn't believe Jack had arrived needing a place to stay. Really?!

Her brother always had bad timing. Abby would have preferred to watch over Connor, he still wasn't himself after the near loss of Cutter. Knowing the Professor wouldn't be back to work anytime soon put a lot of pressure on Connor. He had to repair the equipment damaged in the explosion as well as finish building the Anomaly Locking Mechanism. Abby thought Lester was driving Connor too hard, she doubted Connor had slept an entire night in the weeks since Helen's attack.

To top it off, the ancient hot water heater in their flat had been acting up. The machine barely provided enough hot water for two quick showers and the washing up on a normal day with just Abby and Connor in the flat. Jack had already used up the entire supply of hot water… it would be evening before there was enough hot water for Abby to take a shower.

She hated asking Connor to find someplace else to go, but it was only temporary. At least Connor would get a hot shower and some sleep. Abby dreaded listening to Jack's loud music blaring at all hours.

"Just for a couple of days," Abby reminded Jack when the door closed behind Connor.

"Yeah sure Abs," Jack replied as he moved towards the window.

-_x-x-x-x-x-x_

Jack watched Connor leave the flat. The man that his sister talked so much about for the past year and a half wasn't like any of her past boyfriends Jack decided.

Connor was definitely smarter than the men Abby had dated previously. And, Jack thought, the man actually seemed to be a more considerate person than the sort of bloke Abby had dated before. Abby might not have seen the look on Connor's face when Jack first introduced himself, but Jack did. He knew that hurt look. But Connor swallowed down whatever pain he might have felt and just responded with his name. There was no sign of jealousy or anger from Connor, just a quiet resignation. That was a big improvement in Jack's opinion. And, Jack hadn't missed the look of relief on Connor's face when Abby had clarified their relationship. Connor was happy to know that Jack was Abby's brother.

Jack let the curtain drop back down. Maybe this Connor character was good enough for his big sister, or maybe not. Only time would tell.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor felt better than he had ever since Abby said those dread words to him: "we need to talk."

With his last girlfriend, that phrase had always preceded an argument… which usually ended with the woman throwing things at him. Connor trudged down the sidewalk towards the bus stop. He felt a bit like a pack animal with his tote bag over one shoulder and his messenger bag over the other. Juggling Sid and Nancy in their carry containers, he climbed aboard the bus and sat down.

He sighed in relief as he put the carry cages down. Jack was Abby's baby brother. He grinned. Connor was perfectly glad to give up his room for her brother… although he didn't understand why the man couldn't sleep on the couch.

Connor had paid his share of the rent this month, hadn't he?

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Becker had the night watch at the ARC this evening. When he entered the recreation room he looked at Connor in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Becker asked.

Connor looked at Becker in confusion. Then he pointed to the small telly in the corner.

"Brought my game equipment in…," Connor explained "for the staff on break. Do you fancy a game?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Sarah was working late, cleaning off the artifact.

Since breaking up with Jamal, she had plenty of time on her hands for tasks like this. She looked across the work table at the ruins of Cutter's anomaly map. She hadn't a clue as to how to start rebuilding that, but maybe… when Cutter was well enough for visitors…

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Percy was finishing up the last of the health and safety forms. If it hadn't been for Connor's head injury, he would have already been done and gone home for the day. He attached the form to the email and pressed the send button.

Six stitches; that knock on the baggage cart had to have hurt, thought Percy. And a mild concussion too. Percy texted Connor: don't forget to tell Abby – you have to be woken every hour. A few moments later, Connor texted back: not a problem, playing video games.

Percy shook his head. He wouldn't have thought of Abby as the type to play video games, but he was glad she was keeping Connor awake.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester thought the G-Rex and reporters getting eaten wasn't exactly calm, controlled and slightly dull, but Percy had done a good job today. The young man might make a good team leader in Cutter's absence.

He dialed the professor's home phone number. Claudia answered.

"May I speak with Cutter?" Lester asked.

"No," stated Claudia firmly "he's not to think about work. The doctor only released him on the condition that he gets plenty of rest. Don't you dare…"

"Claudia," Lester protested "I'm not trying to…"

"Oh yes you are," interrupted Claudia "Don't forget James… I know what it's like to work for you."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	22. Plan B

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

3.5-2 Plan B

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Danny Quinn couldn't believe it. He had a job as team leader at the ARC. And the first job of any organization was to know the competition, right?

He held up his hand, waving to attract the attention of the pub's harried waiter.

"Another?" Danny asked Captain Wilder. The man, who looked so different out of his uniform, nodded.

"What's it like," Wilder asked "working for James Lester?"

"Oh you know," replied Danny with an easy going grin, "probably just the same as working for your boss… what's her name… Chris, or Christy?"

The man snickered. "The idea," replied Wilder "It's Christine Johnson… no nicknames, not ever."

"Yeah," agreed Danny "I can't quite see Lester ever being called Jimmy now, can you?"

As interrogation techniques went, it wasn't much, but at least Wilder was talking to him now thought Danny. Danny wasn't sure what he hoped to learn from Wilder, but he was going to try.

-_x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby shut the door to the flat and looked at the mess in dismay.

"Jack!"

But he didn't answer. Somewhere between picking up the dirty dishes Jack had left throughout the flat, turning off the telly, feeding Rex and washing said dirty dishes she found the note he had left. Gone to visit a friend, don't wait up.

She snorted. For this she had asked Connor to leave?

"Rex," Abby told the coelurosauravus "I think I made a mistake." The creature tilted its head sideways, bobbing it up and down as he chirped. It seemed as if Rex agreed.

Connor had asked her this morning if she missed him yet, and Abby hadn't answered. But if he asked her again, right this minute… Abby would have told him.

-_x-x-x-x-x-x_

Jack and his mates had been out late drinking. When he finally stumbled into Abby's flat, he knocked into the first piece of furniture in the place. The small table by the door was fine, but the framed photograph that had been sitting there had fallen, the glass shattered, cutting into the picture.

Oooh, thought Jack. Abby wouldn't like that. For once in his life, Jack looked for the hand broom and dustpan. He cleaned up the mess and threw the broken glass, frame and torn picture all in the bin.

The next morning Abby found it. She went off on him for throwing out her favorite picture of her flat mate Connor and herself. Jack didn't listen too much, his head was pounding.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor stepped into the posh London flat, following Lester. A three bedroom flat in the heart of London… it had to cost a fortune. This was no little place in Connor's opinion.

"You can stay in there," said Lester pointing to the doorway at the end of the hall. "It's my son's room, but don't mess with anything."

"Right, no messing," answered Connor. In the carry crate he was holding, Sid and Nancy chirped in apparent agreement.

Connor pushed open the door. His lips curled up in a small grin. "Empire Strikes Back sheets Lester," he called over his shoulder "your son and I would probably get along quite well."

"He's seven," responded Lester dryly. "The two of you would probably get along quite well."

Connor drank a cup of hot cocoa before going to bed. He still felt chilly. Sometime in the middle of the night, he awoke to a thumping noise. He'd been dreaming of that fungus creature and now something was banging against the wall by his bed.

For a moment, Connor was frightened thinking the nightmare creature was in the flat, but then he realized what the sound signified. Even expensive, posh flats had thin walls. He grinned, as he rolled over on his side and put the pillow over his head.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Becker couldn't believe that Danny had broken into the ARC. After all Becker's efforts to tighten security in the place!

He took a deep breath. Steady, he told himself, can't let your frustration show. The target appeared in front of him. Bang, bang, bang… the sound of the shots echoed in the target practice room.

Again, Becker ordered the young cadet.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Sarah let herself into her empty flat. She missed Jamal, but thinking about him wasn't going to do any good. The man hadn't believed what little she had been able to tell him about her new job, and she wasn't going to bring him into it. The work at the ARC was dangerous, and today had been a perfect example of that.

She sat down on the sofa, taking off her shoes and thinking. They had almost lost Connor and Percy today.

Well, technically, they had lost Percy. The man had been dead for a few minutes, and when they had resuscitated him, he had quit and stormed out. In all the commotion, with his leaving and convincing Lester that they really needed that Danny Quinn guy on the team, Sarah hadn't got a chance to talk to Abby. Sarah wondered, did Abby know that Connor had been staying at the ARC? Or that he'd gone with Lester this evening? It was only by chance that Sarah had found out.

Sarah looked at the clock. It was too late to call her tonight, she decided, but tomorrow… first thing… Sarah was going to talk to Abby.

Her phone rang. Sarah looked at the caller ID and picked it up. She'd told Claudia to call anytime, and she meant it. Sarah would do anything she could to help the Cutter's.

"Hi Claudia," answered Sarah "how is he tonight?"

"Cranky and irritable," replied Claudia cheekily "the stitches are itching and he's still on bed rest for another week… but mainly, he's bored."

Sarah chuckled. "Does he want another report?" she asked.

"Oh yes please!" said Claudia "I'll put you on speaker… can you hear him?"

The professor's brogue came across the phone line clearly, "So tell me what's happened? What kind of anomaly was it? Were there any creatures?"

Sarah chuckled again at the eager questions. The man was starting to get better, his curiosity was a good sign, but where to start she wondered? She didn't want to upset him too much with the scary stuff, his health was still fragile. Hmmm.

"Well, we've got a new team member," she began "a former police officer named Danny Quinn… he's driving Lester crazy."

"Oh… I like him already," replied Nick with a chuckle.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Percy wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his life, but he sure didn't want to go out as a fungus.

He'd quit. Left the security, if you could call it that, of a government public relations job to find himself. He'd hitchhiked out of London. The last person to give him a lift had dropped him after the Severn Bridge.

The man was headed towards the Forest of Dean. Percy wasn't about to go anywhere near that place. He was walking in the general direction of Hayesgate when he heard shouting. A woman screamed "Run."

The woman passed him, followed by some more people, all of them running. Percy stared. But when he saw the creature that was following after them, he turned and ran too. No one stopped or turned aside from the glowing lights in the meadow. Percy didn't stop until he had caught up with the group. In the sudden quiet, he realized they were staring at him.

"It looks like we've got a new person in the group," said a man with coldly calculating eyes.

"Hush Ethan," said a woman. From her voice, Percy thought she must have been the woman who had told everyone to run. "I'm Emily," she introduced herself "what's your name?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester held Vivian tenderly, trailing kisses across her shoulder, up her throat and finally meeting her lips.

"Mmmm," his wife sighed as she smiled at him. "I should stay in London more often."

"Yes," agreed Lester "you should."

"James," she asked "what happened today?"

"Let's talk about work tomorrow," he whispered, holding her close. He didn't want to think about how close he had come to losing everything he held dear today.

"Allright," Vivian replied, snuggling closer. "But tomorrow… you tell me everything."

"Oh, one more thing," said Lester "don't go out of the bedroom without a robe on."

She arched her eyebrow, suddenly wide awake. "Why James?"

"We've got a flat guest," he replied a little uncomfortably "Connor Temple."

Vivian sat straight up in the bed, clutching the sheets to her breasts. "You brought my great-great grandfather here! That wasn't part of the plan."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Christine Johnson put her hands together contemplatively. A man had died today. She'd signed the necessary forms. The insurance settlement would be sent to his beneficiaries. Now, she had other, more important, things to deal with.

Who on earth was this Danny Quinn, she mused. And how could he best be used to further her plans?

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

_A/N Happy Thanksgiving. :)_


	23. After The Not So Safe House

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

3.6-2 After The Not So Safe House

-_x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby added bubble bath to the water as she watched the tub fill. It had been a long, terror filled day and she needed to unwind.

Running from Johnson's men, Danny's crazy driving, the terror birds and much more, were images Abby wanted to erase from her memory. But to Abby's mind the image of an unconscious Connor, head bleeding after the collision with the tree was the most horrible image of all. She needed to get that image out of her mind.

As she slipped off her clothing and lowered herself beneath the bubbles, she remembered the feel of his arms around her as he had rolled on the ground against her, pushing her away from the oncoming vehicle. Now that was something to think about.

-_x-x-x-x-x-x_

Jack gave a sigh of relief.

Abby had bought his line. When she had asked where Rex was, Jack really thought he had lost all chance of hiding his mistake. Rex wasn't upstairs, and until Jack had a chance to figure out how to get the creature back from his mate, he would rather Abby didn't find out about his latest poker loss.

Why was it, Jack wondered, that his poker face only worked on Abby?

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor was leaning against the anomaly detection device waiting for Lester.

He'd stayed at the anomaly detection device, trying to look busy. Connor had first waved goodbye to Abby when she left, and then he'd waved again to Sarah shortly afterwards.

It was getting late now; surely Lester was going to go home soon. Or at least remember he had a flat mate that needed to go home and have a shower and a lie down. Maybe Connor should remind Lester that Sid and Nancy needed to be fed soon… maybe that would…

Lester and Danny were coming towards him now. Good, maybe they could all go home now. Connor straightened up, still holding on to the side of the anomaly detection device.

"Ready to go Lester?" he asked.

"Just what I was going to ask you," replied Lester in a snarky tone of voice.

"Huh?"

"Come on mate," said Danny, making a beckoning motion with his hand "I'll take you to the hospital."

"What?" asked Connor.

"Danny told me that you'd had an auto accident," said Lester sternly "and that you were unconscious." The man continued to frown at Connor. "Health and Safety regulations require you to be seen by a medical official…"

"Well I can see the medic here tomorrow," said Connor hurriedly "I just want to go..." he paused for words... home was what he had been about to say, but Lester's flat wasn't really home.

"No mate," interjected Danny "I've read the reports… a mild concussion and stitches after that encounter with the G-Rex. That was less than a month ago. I'm taking you to the hospital."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Becker had always wanted to be in the military… ever since he could remember.

Taking the position with the ARC had not been his idea of a good career move at the time. He'd only wanted to be back in London where he could care for his mother while she was in rehabilitation care.

For slightly over eight hours today, Becker had been working in an ARC run by a military liaison from the home office. And he had hated every minute of it.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Sarah pulled up in front of the Cutter's modest home and parked her serviceable gray Toyota. She knocked on the door. Claudia opened it, giving her a broad smile.

"Come in," Claudia exclaimed. "Have you had dinner?"

"No, I haven't," admitted Sarah "but I don't want to cause you any trouble…"

"Don't be silly," said Claudia "join us… we're glad of the company."

Sarah followed Claudia down the hallway to the kitchen. Nick was seated at the small table near the back door, looking at the garden.

"You're sitting up!" Sarah exclaimed.

"After all this time," growled the professor in his Scottish brogue "you'd think I would be doing cartwheels."

Sarah glanced at Claudia. The woman rolled her eyes, with a bit of a smirk. Sarah knew the professor had been a cranky patient. The surgery to remove and repair the damage caused by Helen's bullet had been trying enough, but the subsequent respiratory infection that Cutter acquired had delayed his return to work.

"Well," said Sarah as she sat down in a chair across the table from him, "maybe what I have to tell you will have you doing cartwheels."

"What is it?"

"Connor and I got the artifact to open up," said Sarah. At the excited look on Cutter's face, she held up her hands. "Briefly," she qualified. "It lit up the room… with glowing lights… like your map…"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester had been worried. There were so many ways today could have gone so very wrong.

When Christine Johnson had taken over the ARC, Lester had been escorted from the building. He had called the Cutter's home, just to let Nick and Claudia know, in case Christine sent someone to their home, but no one had answered the phone.

Lester had then tried to reach his wife's cell phone, but the call wouldn't go through. The bloody phone company gave an automated message: "this number can not be connected." The next call to his home hadn't gone through either. That was when Lester had begun to worry in earnest. It really shouldn't make much difference who headed up the ARC, right?

Lester had gone to see Billy then. The minister without portfolio had been a long time friend and confidant, with direct ties to Whitehall. Lester had been greeted by the man's assistant and left cooling his heels in a waiting room. When he had finally gotten irate and stormed the man's office, Lester entered just in time to hear Becker's report. Lester could have kissed the man.

Upon their return to the ARC, Abby asked Lester "You missed us, didn't you?"

Lester replied in the only possible manner "Don't be ridiculous."

It wasn't until after he had gotten Danny to take Connor to the hospital, that he was able to call the Cutter's. The phone was picked up by Claudia on the second ring. "Sarah's on her way," he told Claudia. In response to her question, he answered "No, I don't think she's mentioned it to Abby... Connor's still staying at my flat."

Lester closed the phone, looked at it carefully and took a deep breath. He then dialed his wife's cell phone number. The phone rang, which was a good sign, thought Lester. And then Vivian answered.

"I was just wondering," Lester asked, trying to control the trembling in his voice, "if you might stay in London tonight?"

She gave a throaty chuckle. "London's a big city," Vivian teased. "Any place in particular?"

"With me."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Christine Johnson seethed. James Lester and his team may have thrown her plans into disarray, but it was only a temporary setback.

She had another plan. She always had another plan.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Danny Quinn was in the waiting room when the woman stormed into the hospital's emergency check in area.

"Where is he?" demanded the plump little woman. Her brown hair, starting to show gray was swept back from her face, and the glare that the woman gave the admissions clerk would have frightened most anyone, but the admissions clerk was used to panicked parents.

"Who?"

"My son," replied the woman "Connor Temple."

Danny blinked in surprise. He wondered how she had known to come to this hospital. Oh well… Danny guessed it was his duty to rescue the admissions clerk. He stood up and walked towards the pair.

"Mrs. Temple," said Danny in a kindly tone "I brought your son in to be looked at, just a safety precaution really. I'm sure he's going to be fine."

The woman turned her glare from the person sitting calmly behind the admissions desk and focused on Danny. He took a step back.

"You don't look like a doctor," she said sharply.

"Well, I'm not," began Danny.

"Then don't be telling me he's fine," she interrupted "you're not qualified…"

She might have kept on going in that manner for hours, Danny thought, but for the timely arrival of Connor Temple.

"Mum," Connor asked in a surprised tone "what are you doing here?"

She had been in the city for the day and had tried calling him to meet for dinner before she returned home on the evening train. After no answer on his cell phone, she had called his work number. Whoever had answered that number, had directed Mrs. Temple to the hospital. She reached a hand out to touch the bandage on her son's forehead.

"What happened to you Connor?"

Connor looked at Danny. "Well, I lost my phone."

"Not the phone Connor," she said with a trace of exasperation in her voice "your head."

"Mum, I'm fine," he answered "just a bit of an accident with a car."

The woman turned her gaze to Danny, narrowing her eyes as she looked suspiciously at him.

"I wasn't driving," Danny explained hastily

Lester entered the waiting room then. He took in the scene with one glance.

"Connor," he directed "let's get your mother to the train on time. Shall we? The car is outside… double parked… would the two of you go get in?"

Danny and Lester watched as Connor escorted his mother out of the hospital.

"I'll be right with you," called Lester "and don't touch anything!"

Danny turned to face Lester. "Thanks," he said "I owe you one."

Lester sniffed. "When Susan told me Mrs. Temple had called," he said "I figured someone had to come rescue you."

"Met her before, have you?" asked Danny with a chuckle.

"No, but Cutter has," replied Lester. He followed after the pair, turning as he reached the door.

"Mind you," Lester added "if I ever have to, I will tell her you tried using her son as bait today."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	24. Evening

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

3.7-2 Evening

-_x-x-x-x-x-x_

Jack took the coelurosauravus from Connor.

"Thanks mate," he told his sister's former flat mate. "I really appreciate this."

"Didn't do it for you," Connor replied quietly, his brown eyes dark. He turned and walked away.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor hurriedly climbed back into the ARC's huge SUV.

"Thanks mates," he told Becker, Hendricks and Stephenson. "I really appreciate your helping me get Rex back for Abby."

Becker started up the SUV, flipped on the headlights, and then in a gesture reminiscent of Lester, he pushed Connor down in the front seat of the SUV.

"What?" squawked Connor.

"If you don't want Abby to see you," replied Becker as he shifted the huge vehicle into drive, "keep your head down."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Becker drove the SUV away from Abby's flat. He had spent more time behind the wheel today than usual. First it was Abby's demand for dinosaur transportation with the dracorex, then Connor's request for back up with retrieving Rex, and now he was driving Connor away from Abby's flat.

"Didn't you used to be flat mates with Abby?" asked Becker.

"Well, yeah," answered Connor "but her baby brother's in town, and he needed a place to stay…" His voice trailed off, and he turned his head to pretend to look at something in the darkness outside the SUV's window.

"Where do you want me to drop you?" he asked Connor.

The young scientist turned to face him, brown eyes open wide. "Uh, back at the ARC," Connor replied "that would be fine."

Becker turned the vehicle back towards the ARC. "How long is her brother in town for?"

"Don't know really," replied Connor "it was supposed to be for just a few days, but that was nearly two months ago."

Becker snorted. He kept telling himself, your job is to keep them alive. You're not to meddle in their personal affairs. It seemed as if Abby was the only person working at the ARC who didn't know that Connor was staying with Lester. Bad enough thought Becker that he felt like a taxi driver some days; he wasn't going to add agony aunt to his resume.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Sarah was excited. "It's like Ammut all over again," she exclaimed raising her hands in the air as she paced across the Cutter's living room.

"Calm down," replied Professor Cutter chuckling. "Now tell me all about it."

"There was a dracorex, and a medieval knight," said Sarah "the anomaly has got to fit somewhere into our research model." She turned to face the bent and twisted rods soaring through the Cutter's living room.

Claudia came into the living room carrying a tea tray.

"Oh," exclaimed Sarah with a happy smile "you're showing more now."

Claudia sat the tray down on a low table beside her husband's chair, then straightened up and placed her hand on her baby bump. "You should visit more often, she replied to Sarah with a smile as she twisted the switch, turning on the lamp.

"It gets dark so early now," said Claudia as she sat down next to Nick. "Now, what's got you both so excited?"

"Well," began Nick as he took a biscuit, "we know that ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians have known about anomalies, they built the sun cage to contain one."

"And Connor's locking mechanism is our way to control the anomalies," added Sarah as she sat down and reached for a knife to begin spreading clotted cream across a scone.

"Well, I doubt it is really controlling the anomalies," said Claudia thoughtfully as she picked up the teapot and began to pour, "finding the anomalies, locking them, that's all well and good, but we need to find out why they're happening in the first place."

"We've been trying to figure that out since we started," said Cutter as he picked up one of the large cups and took a sip.

"What if," said Sarah "we're looking at this wrong… and we're not supposed to be locking the anomalies."

"Sarah," asked Nick "what exactly do you mean by that?"

Sarah took a sip of her tea to give herself a moment. "Our research model," she began "seems to be proof that anomalies have been coming and going for millennia."

"Now you sound like Connor," snorted Cutter. "Don't tell me you believe his natural phenomena theory?"

"Well why not?" replied Sarah "It wasn't that long ago that people believed thunder and lightening was caused by Gods arguing in the heavens."

Claudia chuckled. The look on Nick's face was priceless.

"We should have this discussion with the Lester's, your team, and the team from my department," she said.

Sarah looked at Claudia with a confused expression on her face. "What?"

"I thought you knew," said Claudia in surprise "When Nick's team moved to the ARC, the team I work with stayed at the home office. Our department fields the anomaly alerts for human time periods… you return creatures, we return people… and if we can't return them, we've got an in with social services."

"Your department has an anomaly detector?" exclaimed Sarah incredulously.

"Well yes, Connor's built at least a dozen now, we dispersed them throughout the United Kingdom. I hear the Canadian government is requesting one too," answered Claudia "The ADD we have has a filter set to find anything within the last ten thousand years."

The two women looked at each other.

"I really don't understand how you got the anomaly to a medieval era," Claudia added. "The filter on your anomaly detector should have blocked the signal; you really shouldn't have picked it up at all."

Now it was Nick's turn to look confused. He knew his wife worked with Lester's wife in another facility similar to the ARC. And he knew there were more ARCs being established. The anomalies were too frequent and too scattered for only one ARC to be able to handle everything. But this was the first he had heard of a modification to Connor's Anomaly Detection Device.

"What filter?" asked Nick "And who made it?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester had been at Whitehall all day. Research at the archives was always full of surprises.

Right now, he was reviewing the ARCs records, and their connection to the military. Professor Morton's work on meteorological test results was classified… still, after all these years. But the diary the team had brought back from the safe house had given Lester some new insight into the direction of the military's research. Lester was looking for anything to keep Christine Johnson out of the ARC.

The phone on his desk buzzed. The voice on the intercom announced Cutter on line one. James picked up the phone. He held the receiver away from his ears until the voice on the other end subsided.

"You know you can't come back to work until the doctor signs off on your medical release" Lester told Cutter. He listened a moment, and sighed. Great. Cutter had found something else to complain about. Lester listened to the professor some more. His eyebrows raised up, momentarily making him look something like an owl.

"Really?" Lester asked "I'll have to get back to you on that."

There was a pause as the voice on the phone went off on another tirade.

"No," replied Lester "I don't know the answers to your questions yet, but you can be sure I'll get to the bottom of this." He slammed the phone down hard. Lester stared at it for a moment, thinking. Then he picked up the receiver and dialed a number.

"Hello Vivian," he said. "I've just had a rather odd conversation with Cutter."

"James," she chuckled "isn't that how you describe all your conversations with Cutter?"

Lester could almost see the smirk on her face. "Well," said Lester "he seems to think that some sort of filter has been placed on the ADD."

"We did have a filter on your anomaly detector," admitted Vivian sounding worried. "It went offline this morning. That wasn't supposed to happen. I think it might have been sabotaged. "

Lester eyes widened. "Vivian," he pleaded "don't you think it's time we talked some more about your reason for being here? Can't you tell me what is supposed to happen, what are we trying to prevent?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Danny Quinn had kept an eye out on Christine Johnson when she left the ARC. The woman didn't seem nearly as upset about losing her little power play as Danny would have expected.

She had left the ARC and gone to visit some entrepreneur. They had talked briefly, then Christine Johnson had left the man's offices with a self satisfied smile on her face. Danny didn't like that.

He called a friend who still worked on the police force. "I got a little unofficial request," Danny said. "What can you tell me about a bloke named Philip Burton?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby thought the SUV turning the corner at the end of the darkening street looked like one of the ARCs, but of course that was ridiculous. Nobody from the ARC would be stopping by her flat this late in the evening.

She twisted the key in the lock, opened the door, then stepped inside the flat.

"Jack," she called "we need to go get Rex back from your mates."

The creature in question chirped from atop the stair railing.

"Rex!" exclaimed Abby in delight. With a leap, Rex soared around the flat, coming to land in Abby's arms. "You're back."

"I told you he'd be back today," said Jack with a cocky grin on his face, as he entered the living room.

"I'm glad your mate came through," replied Abby chuckling. "I was beginning to think we were going to have to go reclaim Rex with an armed guard."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	25. Stick Around

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

3.8-2 Stick Around

-_x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor hadn't seen Abby since she had kissed him at the race track.

She and Jack had gone back to the ARC with Danny, while he, Sarah and Becker had stayed a bit longer at the racetrack. Connor had gathered the broken bits of the smashed anomaly locking mechanism and brought them back to the ARC to see what could be salvaged. By the time they got there, Abby and Jack were gone, and Danny was in Lester's office. Connor had been grateful when Sarah offered to drop him off at Lester's flat.

"Wait a minute," Connor asked as they were walking down the hallway towards the exit to the car park, "how did you know I was staying at Lester's?"

Becker, who was pushing open the door to the locker room, heard Connor's question. Becker snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Connor," he said "we all know you've been staying at Lester's for the past several months. We just don't know how Lester has managed to stay sane with you there."

Connor stared after the man as the door swung shut behind him.

"Not everybody knows," said Sarah gently "Abby hasn't a clue. Now come on."

Connor had followed Sarah without another word. She insisted on getting a blanket from the boot for him to sit on. Pointing at the black grime on his once yellow jacket; Sarah said "I don't want whatever that is on my seats."

She quickly maneuvered her gray compact car through the London evening traffic, reaching Lester's flat in less than twenty minutes. When Sarah had mentioned that she was stopping by the Cutter's next, he had reminded her to tell the professor that they were checking the artifact with the calibrated laser refractor.

"Eventually," he said "it's got to show us a hologram map." Sarah had merely smiled as she pulled quickly away from the kerb.

Connor let himself into the empty flat.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Becker showered off the dirt and grime from today's expedition to the future. As the hot water sluiced over his shoulders, he was thinking about the creatures they had encountered. The anti-stab vests the security team wore as part of their standard issue was some protection, but what could they use to fight those predators?

Stun grenades were his first thought. Becker would need to be sure to requisition some as the anomaly at the race track remained steady. They should be able to get the stun grenades delivered within 24 hours. He wanted to ensure that his men would be fully prepared if the anomaly reopened.

Requisitioning a long range acoustic device would take a bit more time, but Becker thought surely Lester would approve at least one. Maybe even more than one. It would be good to have extras for back up. Attached to an assault vehicle, they might even be able to take back that future.

Becker turned off the spigot and reached for his towel. He wondered if Lester would approve a requisition for a tank.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Sarah arrived at the Cutter's shortly after she dropped Connor off at Lester's flat. He was eagerly awaiting her news about the racetrack anomaly.

"What era does it go to?" the professor asked excitedly.

"We don't know exactly," replied Sarah "somewhen in the future."

Nick looked up from the twisted rods of their research model. "Then how do we plot that?" he asked, pointing at the bent rods.

"Maybe we can't," suggested Claudia. She was sitting on the couch with her feet propped up. Her hand was lying lightly on her rounded belly. "It hasn't happened yet, right?"

"We should be able to predict the anomalies," argued Cutter "where they occur and when."

"That reminds me," said Sarah "Connor wanted me to tell you… we're checking the artifact with a calibrated laser refractor. We should eventually be able to reproduce the hologram."

"Why don't you just get the security photo of the hologram from the CCTV?" asked Claudia.

"What?"

"Claudia, you're brilliant."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester let himself into the flat. Connor was sprawled across the sofa, sound asleep.

_The young man had willingly moved out of his son's bedroom when Lester's wife and children had arrived for a weekend visit. The Lester's three children had taken to Connor as if he was a favorite uncle, and Connor had taken to them. _

_When James and Vivian had gone to the ambassador's dinner party, Connor had babysat the three children for them. They had all played video games, watched Dr. Who and chased after the diictodon's. When Lester and his wife returned, they found the children sound asleep and Connor yawning._

"_It was fun," Connor had said wistfully. "Makes me wish I had a brother or sister when I was growing up."_

_Vivian and the children had returned home the next morning. Lester was now looking at the young man on his sofa, remembering his wife's worried words before she left. _

"_Something's changed," she whispered, watching as Connor and the three children cleared the breakfast things and began washing up. _

"_What's changed?" Lester had asked._

"_In the history of my time, Connor had a younger sister," said Vivian "and he and Abby were married by now. They should be together."_

"_You did say you were here to change things," James reminded his wife. _

"_Not this!" exclaimed Vivian. _

_James raised his eyebrows quizzically. _

"_Nothing I've done would have changed Connor's personal life. Someone has been messing with the timeline," continued Vivian. "It was part of why I was sent here."_

"_You've told me about your first assignment," replied Lester "but not your next." _

"_The next assignment isn't for years," replied Vivian. "And if we don't get the two of them back together, my next assignment might not ever occur… little changes cause ripples in time, making big changes."_

Lester looked at the sleeping young man. Lester remembered what Quinn had said about the race track anomaly. The future world full of predators and giant bugs wasn't part of Vivian's time either.

Tomorrow would be soon enough, thought Lester, to ask Connor what he thought of an anomaly cloaking device. Lester just hoped Connor's answer wouldn't have anything to do with Klingons.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Danny Quinn wasn't supposed to be freelancing. But if Danny wanted to have a pint with his good buddy Wilder, that wasn't freelancing. Not really anyway. Danny just needed to know some more about Christine Johnson's involvement with the anomalies.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby let herself into the empty flat. She had seen Jack off on the train to Northampton. He was going to stay with a mate. There was a possibility of a job at the warehouse distribution center. Personally, Abby couldn't see Jack driving a forklift and loading boxes on lorries all day, but she didn't let him know that.

She had just teased him. "Well, don't tell them about your race car driving today, yeah."

Rex chirped at her in greeting. The coelurosauravus flew down, landing in her arms.

"It's just you and me again," Abby whispered, stroking the back of his neck.

The creature chirped at her again.

"Yeah," Abby replied "I miss him too."

She wasn't talking about Jack.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	26. About Time

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

3.8-3 About Time

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Becker eagerly signed for the delivery. He opened the box and peeked in. A grin slowly spread across his face.

"Take it to the car park," he told Stephenson. "We'll need to get it mounted on the armored Hummer." The heavily plated vehicle wasn't the tank that Becker had wanted, but it would transport the ARC's team in relative safety. It had only taken a small reminder of Tom Ryan's injuries from a predator encounter to convince Lester that increased safety precautions were needed.

In addition to the new transportation, Lester had approved the purchase of one Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD). The round black device had been express shipped from the manufacturer. The LRAD was designed to amplify and broadcast sound waves in whatever direction deemed necessary.

Becker pressed the intercom button, pushing the numbers for Abby and Sarah's office.

"Yeah," answered Abby.

"The LRAD is here," said Becker "have you got the sound card ready?"

The race track anomaly was still holding strong after a week and showed no signs of weakening. Hopefully, they would never need to go back to that terrible place. But if the ARCs team ever had to re-enter the predator's world, Becker planned on being ready.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Sarah had brought Cutter the CCTV security photo of the hologram as soon as Becker had given it to her last week. That same night, Sarah and the professor had begun comparing the photograph with their research model. There were obvious gaps in the model.

Cutter had tried to tie in the latest anomaly at the race track to the model with no success. The rod kept snapping, breaking apart every time he tried to attach it. Finally, Cutter had given up for the evening telling Sarah that they needed another set of hands.

"Bring Connor with you next time," directed Nick.

Connor had come with Sarah on Monday after work. It was the first time in quite a while that he had seen Cutter. They had been chatting, catching up a bit, when Claudia had entered the room. Connor did a double take.

"Whoa," said Connor, "you got big."

Sarah started to berate the young man, but he had realized his mistake. He was blushing, a bright shade of red, his brown eyes wide, his mouth opening and shutting in an attempt to find something else to say.

Claudia was laughing. She placed her hand on her huge belly and said, "And I'll get bigger before the baby is born, she's not due for another two months."

"You'll be going out on maternity leave," said Connor "just as the Professor gets back to work."

Claudia and Nick exchanged a glance.

"What?" asked Connor. "You are coming back Professor, aren't you?"

"Connor," said Nick gently "we've been talking with Lester about me taking more of a research role…"

"No!" Connor exclaimed, "We need you, it's not the same since you've been gone."

At Connor's bereft look, Nick sighed. "Come on now," Cutter said "help me attach this rod to the research model."

Four days later, they still hadn't attached the rod. Connor had measured and recalculated every curve, comparing his results against the professors. The numbers matched. But the flexible tubing kept breaking every time they tried to attach the ends to the rest of the research model. The last time they tried, the rod had splintered into a dozen fragmented strips pointing in all directions.

Connor stared. Cutter swore. Sarah tried to pick the broken pieces off the carpet, while Claudia went for the vacuum.

"Maybe it's not supposed to go there," said Connor thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" snapped Cutter "Of course it goes there, we've measured all the time points. It has to go there."

"Not if it's the beginning of another universe."

"What?"

Connor began pointing to some of the intersecting parts of the research model.

"You said those were absolute fixed points," Connor reminded Cutter. "It's what you based your prediction on. What if this spot is an absolute unfixed point… a… I don't know… time flux, if you will… a point where anything might happen and the world could evolve in any of several different manners."

"Hrrumph," said Cutter as he turned to stare at the research model.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester was worried. How Christine Johnson and her military group had obtained Professor Morton's work was beyond him.

Vivian had brought the children into the city on Wednesday. She and the children had stopped by the flat to have dinner with him before returning to their main home.

"I can't remember any military involvement in the ARCs history," responded Vivian to his questions as they chopped vegetables together in the kitchen. A sudden cry from the living room brought them both running.

Their youngest daughter was standing, tears pouring down her face, pointing her finger accusingly at Connor. The young man was sitting on the couch, frozen in position, his brown eyes wide, staring back at the child.

"He sat on Hermione!"

"I'm sorry," apologized Connor as he brought the brown haired doll out from beneath him, "really, I didn't mean to sit on her."

Lester had comforted the little girl, enlisting the aid of his older two children in making a number of keep off signs to distract the child. By the time dinner was ready, Connor was surrounded by a slew of red and white signs with all sorts of warnings that the children found hilarious.

After dinner, Lester walked his wife and children to the car. After checking that seatbelts were buckled and giving goodbye kisses, Lester was left facing Vivian.

"Do be careful," she whispered as he leaned towards her for one last kiss "Christine Johnson's as dangerous in her way as Helen Cutter."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Danny Quinn rubbed the red streaks on his throat where the baby predator had clawed him the previous week. The scratches had closed up, but the skin still itched.

He was spying on that dodgy inventor Philip Burton. Danny knew the man was involved with Christine Johnson in some way. Tomorrow, Danny would be checking out Christine Johnson's headquarters again.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby was frustrated and nervous both and she didn't know which feeling was worse.

She was frustrated because she had been trying to see Connor in private ever since Jack had moved out, but all week Connor had been busy.

First, Lester had tasked Connor with creating an anomaly cloaking device. If Christine Johnson's military group had one, Lester wanted one. But more importantly, he told Connor to figure out how to get anomaly readings from Christine's anomaly in spite of her cloaking device. The ARC needed to know what time period the military's anomaly led to.

Then, Becker had given Sarah some old security photos to take over to Cutter's home office. The professor had demanded that Connor come and review the photos of the hologram with him. Sarah had been taking Connor with her to the Cutter's after work every day. Where Connor went after leaving Cutter's home, Abby didn't know, and that made Abby nervous.

There hadn't been an anomaly all week. It had been unusually quiet. Today, Abby had been determined to catch Connor in the cafeteria, but Lester had his PA send in Connor's lunch. Later, when Abby had stopped by Connor's lab at tea time, Sarah had already brought Connor his afternoon tea. A few moments ago, he had finally come out of his lab and poked his head in the office Sarah and Abby were sharing. Sarah had promptly tossed him her keys and told him to go start her car.

"Cool," Connor replied "do I get to drive?"

At Sarah's fierce frown, he said "I'll take that as a no."

Then Connor quickly turned, heading down the hallway before Abby had a chance to say anything. She stared after him. It wasn't like Connor to ignore her like that. Abby glanced to the side, watching as Sarah packed up her bag, taking files from her desk and shoving them haphazardly into the large shoulder bag.

"Sarah," said Abby "I know that Cutter's research model is supposed to detect anomalies, and you're tying in the past myths as sightings, but why does Cutter need Connor?"

"Oh," Sarah replied distractedly as she searched her desk for yet another file "Connor's measuring the curvature of research model pathways against the mapping from the hologram picture."

"What?"

Sarah chuckled. "Connor checks the intersections to make sure they actually align with the anomalies we have located and then we can see what we're missing."

Abby sighed. Sarah stopped what she was doing and turned to look at her friend.

"Are you all right?" Sarah asked kindly.

"Yeah," replied Abby "it's just… I was hoping to get a chance to talk to Connor, before he goes back to his mates place again tonight."

"Abby," said Sarah softly, "Connor's not staying at a mates."

Abby tried to control her facial expression as she stared at Sarah in surprise. Abby's worst fears appeared to be realized.

"You and Connor…" Abby began.

"No Abby," replied Sarah sharply. Her dark hair flung back, as she straightened up, pulling the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "It's not like that, not at all. We're just mates. But you should know… Connor is staying at Lester's flat."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor was busy scribbling notes down on a pad of paper as Sarah drove him back to Lester's flat. Tonight's conversation with Cutter as they worked on the anomaly research model had brought up several new ideas.

"Hmm?" he asked as Sarah said something.

"I said," repeated Sarah with a sigh "are you going to answer that?"

"What?" Connor asked, and then realizing what Sarah was talking about, he scrambled for his cell phone. Abby had called, and he had missed it. As he stared in dismay at the cell phone, the message indicator lit up. As Connor listened to the voice mail a smile spread across his face.

"Abby's coming over tomorrow morning," he told Sarah happily, bending back over his note pad.

Sarah smirked to herself, thinking… it's about time.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	27. Evolution

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit. **

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

3.10-2

-_x-x-x-x-x-x_

Sarah inhaled sharply. She couldn't believe how stubborn Becker could be. She'd explained her idea, but he wouldn't listen.

She and Becker had waited… and waited. The man stood there pointing that heavy gun at the anomaly. He looked ready for whatever type of creature might come. It wasn't until Lester called that Becker stepped aside. His backup, a man named Hendriks, quickly took up the guard stance while Becker spoke into the phone.

Sarah only heard Becker's side of the conversation.

"No," Becker replied tersely "they were supposed to come back hours ago. Yes sir. Right."

Becker had turned towards the other waiting soldier. "Stephenson," he ordered "get the Hummer… we're going in."

When Becker, Sarah Danny, Connor and Abby had come to the racetrack anomaly following after Helen, they had expected to enter the dangerous future together, in the relative safety of the armored vehicle. But London traffic and another open anomaly played havoc with all Becker's careful preparations.

Sarah and Becker had gone to check out the other anomaly at Danny's direction. Becker had wanted Danny, Connor and Abby to wait for the Hummer before going through, but Danny had said they couldn't wait. The three of them headed to the future armed only with Becker's favorite gun and some survival backpacks containing the new stun grenades. The security team with the Hummer hadn't arrived until well after Sarah and Becker had returned from Johnson's headquarters.

"Sarah," said Becker as he climbed into the Hummer with the other five men from his security detail "lock the anomaly after we go through. In one hour, open it. Wait for five minutes then lock it again if we are not there. Then open it again in another half hour, wait for five minutes then lock it again."

"What if you're not back then?" asked Sarah.

Becker didn't say anything in response to her question. He just pulled the door shut. Hendriks shifted the huge vehicle into drive and it slowly moved forward. Through the tiny slot of a back window, Sarah could see the young technical assistant powering up the LRAD.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

James Lester came to the racetrack anomaly site.

Sarah had called him after Becker and his men hadn't shown up at the one hour mark. When she called Lester again at the next half hour mark, Lester had told her to lock the anomaly and wait.

When Lester arrived, he brought another security detail. The men were dressed in some sort of heavy coveralls that looked as if it were made from the same material as the standard issue anti-stab vests. They had metal helmets too. Sarah thought they looked like something Sir Richard might have worn.

"The helmets don't look like standard security issue," she said.

"No," replied Lester "they're not. I spoke to your friend Jamal at the British museum… he was kind enough to loan us the helmets from their fourteenth century armor collection."

"What?" exclaimed Sarah. She wasn't sure whether to be more surprised at Lester speaking with Jamal or that Jamal had actually loaned out some of the museum's precious historical objects. She tried to cover her surprise with a sarcastic comment. "You didn't get the body armor too?"

"Don't be silly," said Lester with a disdainful sniff "the armor is too bloody heavy and restricts movement."

The man looked at the anomaly and the locking mechanism in front of Sarah. "Open it."

"Becker said…" began Sarah.

"I give the orders around here," snapped Lester. "This remains a search and rescue mission. And one way missions are not part of anyone's job description."

He followed the security team through the anomaly carrying some sort of cylindrical object that looked suspiciously like a bazooka.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Cutter was waiting for Lester when the ARCs director and his security team returned bringing a wounded Becker and the young technical assistant with them.

"You can lock it now," said Lester tiredly "and get the ambulance here."

"What happened?" asked Cutter anxiously. "Where are Connor and Abby?"

"How did you get here?" asked Lester.

"Sarah called me," responded the professor.

Lester looked at the doctor of archeology. He raised his eyebrows. "Cutter hasn't been back in the office to work for nearly six months," Lester complained "and you call him now?"

"What happened?" repeated Cutter impatiently.

"Helen happened," replied Lester sharply. "Danny, Connor and Abby went after her. They appear to have gone through an anomaly… and the rest of our first rescue team members are dead."

"This anomaly leads to another one?" asked Cutter.

"Yes," replied Lester "Why? Does that mean anything?"

"It might," answered the professor. "Sarah, Connor and I have been working on our anomaly research model at my home office, plotting all known anomalies. There are only two that we haven't been able to fix to the matrix."

"Do I dare ask," said Lester sarcastically "which two?"

"The dodo's anomaly site… the one that led to the anomaly junction," replied Cutter "and this one."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Danny felt sick. The anomaly had closed and he was stuck in the Pliocene. For a few moments, he sat on his knees. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe. Then he remembered what he had overheard Helen, in her guise as Eve, tell Christine Johnson.

"Anomalies are rips in time, some you can see, some are invisible to the naked eye," the woman had said "They're everywhere; you just have to know how to find them."

Danny got to his feet. He was determined to find an anomaly. Danny was going to find a way back to the cretaceous and rescue his friends, and then they would find a way home.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby was stiff and cold when she woke up. She remembered Connor telling her to have sweet dreams last night, but the only dream she could remember was a horrible nightmare about being chased by creatures and climbing up a tree. Abby stretched out her arms. One of her hands reached into the air, while the other hand touched something rough. Bark.

She opened her eyes. Oh. That hadn't been a nightmare.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Connor ached all over. He didn't want to move, but he also didn't want to stay up in that tree any longer either. Climbing down the tree loosened up some of his tight muscles, but he hissed with pain as he set weight on his sore ankle.

"Are you all right?" asked Abby.

"Yeah," he said trying to hide his pain.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just me ankle," replied Connor "I'll need that stick again."

Abby handed him the stick from where they had left it on the ground last night. "You can lean on me again," she said.

Connor grinned. He put his arm across her shoulder. "Let's go look for Danny."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Becker winced as the medic injected him with some pain killer. The doctor looked at his arm and started muttering.

"Two maulings in one day," exclaimed the doctor "unbelievable."

"Yes," said Lester from his station leaning against the door frame "a wild animal got loose at a government containment facility. I understand Christine Johnson was brought here as well… how is she?"

"She'll live," replied the doctor as she began stitching up Becker's arm. "Her legs were in almost as bad condition as your man's arm and chest. What kind of creature was it?"

"I didn't say," answered Lester staring pointedly at the doctor. The woman looked at Lester, then turned back to her patient.

"We'll stitch the pectoral muscle last," she told Becker, "then wrap your chest and the arm together. I don't want you moving it for at least two weeks."

"No," Becker argued "I've got to get back…"

"Don't be ridiculous," the doctor said. "You're not to do anything to irritate these muscles! Do you want to lose function permanently?"

From the hospital doorway, Lester spoke. "Becker," he said "you're on desk duty until you get medical clearance. We can't afford to lose any more of the team."

"But Connor, Abby, Danny…" protested Becker.

"Don't worry," said Lester "they'll be back. We're going to make sure of it."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

A/N – this concludes Transitions. But the ARC and its stories continue... in one form or another…


End file.
